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The future of the European automotive industry looks bright because of the strength of the young executives who are making huge strides forward. Automotive News Europe will honor 18 of these talented executives in Paris on June 12.

Mini is owned by BMW, but there's a broad gulf between the prestigious luxury marque and the funky small-car brand.

BMW, Mini's parent company, had forecast U.S. sales of 20,000 units of the original two-door in 2003, but 36,000 were sold. That was the beginning of Mini's surprising journey.

With a technology-rich S-class redesign arriving this fall and several derivatives to be added by 2015, Mercedes-Benz aims to boost stalled sales of its flagship.

TV promotions still reach the biggest audiences, but auto marketers say the greatest untapped potential lies with consumers poised to use other devices to respond quickly to what they see on screen.

Chevrolet designer Tom Peters describes the blocky, chiseled front end of the 2014 Silverado pickup as a "fist in the wind."

As a banking adviser to General Motors when he was at Morgan Stanley, Dan Ammann got an upfront view of GM's spiral into bankruptcy in 2009 and subsequent restructuring.

The redesigned Mercedes-Benz S class made its world debut last week in Hamburg, Germany, but Shanghai might have been more appropriate. Why? China accounted for 49 percent of all 2010-12 S-class sales.

Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen, poached last summer from Audi, aims to push into new segments, restore profitability to Nissan's luxury marque and fix lackluster quality rankings.

Online video has redrawn the boundaries of auto marketing, giving companies a chance to sketch a broader story line around their products, break the conventions of TV and connect with customers in new ways

The quality gap between Chrysler Group's vehicles and those of Japanese automakers has become so small that it no longer should matter to consumers, Chrysler's quality chief says.

Automotive News Europe salutes the winners of the 2013 Rising Stars awards. Every day until June 12 one of the 18 winners will be featured.

Louis-Philippe Dumoulin took his first ever NASCAR Canadian Tire Series win,  this weekend at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Dumoulin led more than 32 laps on the 2.459-mile road course to pick up his first series career win, his previous best finish was second last season at his hometown event, the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres.

The 2012 Rookie of the Year is in just his second full season of Canadian Tire Series competition and the road course specialist will need to prove his mettle on the eight oval track events on the schedule this season.

Jeff Lapcevich finished second while Jason Hathaway finished third and scored his best Canadian Tire Motorsport Park finish in seven starts on the road course.

Photo: Dumoulin Compétition

Defending series champion D.J. Kennington and Robin Buck are fourth and fifth respectively. Kerry Micks, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular Ty Dillon, Noel Dowler, Trevor Seibert and Brad Graham rounded out the top-10.

Dillon took part in the event to gain experience ahead of the first Camping World Truck Series race held at Mosport, September 1st.

Pole sitter J.R. Fitzpatrick broke a drive shaft early on and finished a disappointing 27th in the 28-car field. 

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 is back in action next on Saturday, June 15 for the EMCO 200 at Delaware (Ont.) Speedway.

Michel Jourdain Jr became the only driver left out of the Indy 500 after failing to qualify during final Bump Day qualifications, leaving Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing with just its two full-time drivers.

All afternoon, the RLL team tried to squeeze more speeds out of the Mexican's car but, with just fewer than 20 minutes of track time remaining, the squad decided that the task was impossible; never being able to pass the 214mph mark.

"This morning we tried James Jakes' set-up, and it was impossible to drive. And then we tried Graham's set-up, but it felt exactly the same and we couldn't drive it." said a disappointed Jourdain.

Michel Jourdain (Photo: Facebook)

Jourdain was among those who attempted to qualify on Saturday, but the appearance of Katherine Legge in the third Schmidt entry for the first time pushed the entry list above the 33-car limit, meaning that one car would not make the cut.

Despite having missed out on the entire week of practice, Legge managed to post a four-lap average of 223.176mph to earn herself a place in the field.

Buddy Lazier, winner of the 1996 Indy 500, also made the cut in his one-off, family-run entry.


Qualifying results - Indy 500 (IndyCar)
1.Ed Carpenter (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Carpenter - 228.762 mph (368.156 kmh)
2.Carlos Munoz (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 228.342
3.Marco Andretti (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 228.261
4.Ernesto Viso (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 228.150
5.AJ Allmendinger (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Penske - 228.099
6.Will Power (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Penske - 228.087
7.Ryan Hunter-Reay (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 227.904
8.Helio Castroneves (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Penske - 227.762
9.James Hinchcliffe (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 227.070
10.JR Hildebrand (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Panther - 227.441
11.Alex Tagliani (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Herta - 227.386
12.Tony Kanaan (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - KV - 226.949
13.Oriol Servia (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Panther DRR - 226.814
14.Justin Wilson (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Coyne - 226.370
15.Sebastien Bourdais (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Dragon - 226.196
16.Scott Dixon (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Ganassi - 226.158
17.Dario Franchitti (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Ganassi - 226.069
18.Takuma Sato (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Foyt - 225.892
19.Charlie Kimball (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Ganassi - 225.880
20.James Jakes (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Rahal - 225.809
21.Simon Pagenaud (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Schmidt - 225.674
22.Townsend Bell (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Panther - 225.643
23.Ryan Briscoe (Dallara DW12-Honda) - 225.265
24.Simona de Silvestro (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - KV - 225226
25.Josef Newgarden (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Fisher - 225.731
26.Graham Rahal (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Rahal - 225.007
27.Sebastian Saavedra (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Dragon - 224.929
28.Tristan Vautier (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Schmidt - 224.873
29.Ana Beatriz (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Coyne - 224.184
30.Pippa Mann (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Coyne - 224.005
31.Conor Daly (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Foyt - 223.582
32.Buddy Lazier (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Lazier - 223.442
33.Katherine Legge (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Schmidt - 223.176

DNQ
Michel Jourdain (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Rahal

From GMM

Toto Wolff has admitted Mercedes is disappointed with long time partner McLaren's move to link up with works Honda engines in 2015.

Formerly McLaren's works engine partner, Mercedes set up its own F1 team a few years ago, leaving the great British outfit with the prospect of a customer engine bill.

But that will end after 2014, when Japanese carmaker Honda returns to F1 after a six-year absence, rekindling its famous and highly-successful partnership of the 80s and 90s with McLaren.

McLaren is reuniting with Honda in 2015 (Photo: McLaren F1 Team)

Mercedes, albeit focused on its Brackley based works squad but still supplying customers McLaren and Force India, admitted it is disappointed to lose a great partner.

"It is of course not ideal when you lose a customer, especially when it's someone like McLaren, who have been with Mercedes for so long and celebrated great successes with us," motor sport director Wolff told Speed Week.

"So of course it's unpleasant, but it's a decision they've taken.  We also look forward to having another competitor in F1 -- Honda is a top brand and, as the saying goes, competition is good for business," the Austrian added.

Wolff said Mercedes is not worried its only other current customer engine partner, Force India, could also jump ship to Honda.

"No, because everyone has only a limited ability to supply customer teams.

"For us, it's somewhere between three and four teams, and we're confident that in the coming years we will have at least three (Mercedes-powered) teams in formula one," he said.

That implies that Mercedes is now looking for a replacement for McLaren beyond 2014.

From GMM

Pirelli on Monday essentially confirmed reports the F1 supplier will now make only minimal changes to its tyres for Canada next month and beyond.

After the waves of controversy and criticism following the Spanish grand prix, the Italian marque announced it would be making structural and compound changes for Montreal that should reduce the number of pitstops per race.

But, after Lotus and Ferrari sided strongly against Red Bull and Mercedes, the FIA reportedly also hit back behind the scenes, confirming that the rules say changes like that can only be made on grounds of safety, unless the teams unanimously agree.

So Pirelli on Monday is backtracking, with motor sport boss Paul Hembery telling Reuters F1's official supplier only wants to make changes "with minimal disturbance to the sporting equity".

"The changes required would appear less than first envisaged," he added.

Hembery said some changes will still be made for Canada, but only to fix the problem of delaminating tyres.

"We're trying to find something that is sportingly equitable amongst the vast majority that allows us to rid ourselves of the tread (problem)," he confirmed.

"We're hopeful we can do that without making such a change that would radically alter the work of any team so far."

From GMM

Gary Hartstein, F1's former doctor, claims his stance about the controversial Bahrain grand prix led to his departure.

American Hartstein, who was hand-picked by the late Professor Sid Watkins to replace him as the sport's chief doctor last decade, lost his job at the end of last season when FIA president Jean Todt chose not to renew his contract.

"I think my dismissal was partly for personal reasons," he is quoted by Speed Week.

"Some people just didn't like my ways.

"The decision was made before the (2012) Bahrain grand prix, because I wanted to set up a central emergency number; and I was proposing it not only for Bahrain," said Hartstein.

"Someone said it was a good idea and that they spoke with the president (Todt) about it.  Half an hour later, the president was running towards me, ranting 'Bahrain is not a war zone!'

"I think that was the decisive factor for my release."

From GMM

F1's owners have voted to keep Bernie Ecclestone at the helm of the sport, despite reports German prosecutors have decided to charge him with bribery.

The bribery case surrounds a payment of $44 million to now-jailed German banker Gerhard Gribkowsky some years ago, and suspicions the 82-year-old Briton wanted CVC to buy the sport's commercial rights because he would be retained as chief executive.

Ecclestone, however, argues that Gribkowsky simply blackmailed him, threatening to reveal potentially costly secrets about his tax affairs.

And he told the Sunday Times newspaper that, at the end of last week in Geneva, CVC chiefs met to discuss the ramifications of the German charges.

"Everyone voted to support me staying on and running the business," said Ecclestone.

"The board agrees I should stay unless I'm convicted."

He dismissed the German charges as "a complete load of rubbish".

Ecclestone, however, told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt that, despite not actually receiving the charge sheet yet, he does expect the German prosecutors to proceed.

"I hope they don't but I think they will," he said in the Guardian.  "Then we will see what happens.  That doesn't mean to say there will be a trial."

Indeed, Reuters news agency reported several days ago that prosecutors could settle the case with Ecclestone in exchange for a "non-penal payment".

Scott Nicol kicked off his 2013 Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC) campaign in style, at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario.

The former Touring class champion enjoyed a perfect weekend at the wheel of his No. 41 Honda Civic Si. On top of clocking the fastest lap in qualifying, he scored two overall wins out of two. Benjamin Distaulo, Roger Ledoux and Bob Attrel were the other podium finishers this weekend in the top Super Touring class.

Scott Nicol crossing the finishing line (Photo: Velocity Motorsports Club)

Michel Sallenbach dominated the Touring class with two wins. Rivals Damon Sharpe, Jocelyn Hebert and Tom Kowk had to settle for the other podium positions.

Karl Wittmer out-performed Nigel Heron and Normand Boyer in the B-Spec class.

From GMM

Mercedes on Monday finally announced the impending arrival of Paddy Lowe, who has been serving 'gardening leave' at McLaren.

The German squad announced that the former McLaren technical director will start work as executive director (technical) on June 3, serving alongside continuing team principal Ross Brawn.

Paddy Lowe (Photo: WRi2)

In a media statement, new shareholder Toto Wolff's role was clarified as executive director (business), with Brawn retaining "overall responsibility for technical and sporting matters".

"Paddy's arrival will further strengthen our organization and puts us in a strong position for the future," said Brawn.