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Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has lived through many highs and lows, both on the racetrack and at the office. Times are good now. Last year, the automaker had record sales of 7,318 supercars and an operating margin of 14.4 percent.

Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has lived through many highs and lows, both on the racetrack and at the office. Times are good now. Last year, the automaker had record sales of 7,318 supercars and an operating margin of 14.4 percent.

From GMM

The new Miss Finland is Lotta Hintsa and she is known in Formula 1.

The election of a Miss usually wouldn't make F1 headlines, but the 24-year-old blonde beauty's father is Aki Hintsa, team McLaren's doctor.

Finnish media reports say Lotta Hintsa, now eligible to represent Finland at the 2013 Miss Universe, is studying business and economics at Finland's Jyvaskyla University.

She also had a brief relationship with Lewis Hamilton in 2006.

Lotta Hintsa, Miss Finland 2013. (Photo: Lotta Hintsa/Facebook)

Indian billionaire, Dr. Vijay Mallya saluted the efforts and strong results of one of his drivers at Sahara Force India, Paul di Rests.

“Overall the balance is extremely positive for Sahara Force India with our best ever start to a season. We've been up at the sharp end fighting with the big teams,” Mallya said in a team press release.

“Looking at our drivers, the performances of Paul Di Resta confirm just how much he has matured as a driver,” the Team Principal and Managing Director continued.

Paul Di Resta, Sahara Force India (Photo: Sahara Force India)

“He's delivering consistently every week and we are reaping the rewards of all his hard work. He suffered a difficult end to the 2012 season, but he's shown great mental strength and determination to regroup over the winter and recapture his best form. He's pushing the team on and demanding the best from everyone, which is what we need”.

“Having come so tantalisingly close to the podium with Paul last time out, we head to Barcelona full of optimism. The hard work everyone is putting in is paying off and we hope to see the rewards this coming weekend,” Mallya ended.

“We've got to feel very happy with how things are going and I want to congratulate everybody in the team,” said Di Resta.

“We took a very sensible approach to the winter and focussed on understanding the key areas that drive performance, which seems to have paid off. It's important to pick up good points early in the season against our competitors and to be ahead of McLaren after four races is a credit to the team and a nice feeling. Of course we want to be on the podium and it was very close in Bahrain, but I'm sure it will come soon enough,” the Scot said.

From GMM

One year ago, Pastor Maldonado was on top of the world in F1, having broken through for his first formula one win.

Now returning to Barcelona in 2013, Williams has suffered a major performance slump, and - backmarkers Caterham and Marussia aside - is the only team yet to score a single point this season.

Podium Barcelona 2012.(Photo: WRi2)

"At the moment we are living hard moments," Venezuelan Maldonado, 28, said.

But after the first four 'flyaway' races of the season, the Spanish grand prix is traditionally the scene of a performance jump for many teams, as major upgrade packages are added to the cars.

And Williams - and other underperforming teams like McLaren and Sauber - have higher hopes than most that they can make a big step forward this weekend.

But Force India team boss Bob Fernley is not so sure.

"Apart from McLaren, who we know will come back and be as strong as always, for the rest of the teams there is not much (development potential) left in these cars," he told PA Sport. "We've been pretty stable (with the regulations) for the last few years, so there are not big leaps."

Maldonado agrees that Williams' task is more complicated than simply bolting on some 'go faster' bits.

"I think we need some time," he said. "The problems we have got are quite big but hopefully step by step we're going to get there."

He is not hiding the obvious pain that Williams' 2012-2013 decline is causing, having cut a noticeably downbeat figure in the paddocks so far this year.

Photo: Williams F1 Team

"Sometimes you don't feel very happy," Maldonado admitted, "but this is racing, you know. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not and we need to do our best when it's like that to try to improve, to try to survive."

This weekend is also the one year anniversary of Williams' Barcelona pit fire, and one team member - mechanic Martin 'Barney' Betts - is still yet to fully recover from severe burns.

"Barney, with the injuries he sustained, has had to have a significant time off but it is important that he comes back and is well looked after," deputy team boss Claire Williams told the Sun newspaper.

Canadian, Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, has decided to give his career a new swing. This season, he will race against his former BAR Formula 1 teammate, Olivier Panis, in the French GT Championship.

Olivier Panis, Hugues de Chaunac, Jacques Villeneuve. (Photo: DPPI)

Last winter, Villeneuve confirmed to Auto123.com that he had sold -- or was in the process of selling -- his property located in Quebec, and that his family was going to live in Europe.

The winner of the 1995 Indianapolis 500 is now the teammate of Eric Cayrolle in the French GT series, driving a Ferrari F458 Italia for Sport Garage of Christian Petit.

“I did some ice racing with Sport Garage [in the Andros Trophy], and [team boss] Christian Petit told me about the possibility of racing in the French GT series,” Villeneuve said.

Photo: DPPI

“I really enjoy working with this team. The Ferrari F458 is a good car, Eric Cayrolle is a good teammate and finally we are supported by national and international partners. It is a very professional project. I also had the opportunity to work alongside the engineer I had in ice racing. That's crucial for me,” Villeneuve explained.

Villeneuve also explained how he decided to close the NASCAR book to focus on GT racing: “I contested one GT race last year in Baku. The cars were pretty similar to the French series' cars, and I have some experience in endurance racing from Le Mans,” Villeneuve added.

Photo: DPPI

“I know the two drivers must be well balanced. It's important for me to be able to rely on my teammate, and I think it will be the case with Eric Cayrolle. When it's just a one-off race for fun, like in Baku, it's a different story,” Villeneuve explained.

The Canadian is happy to (finally) drive a Ferrari -- and a red one! -- despite the fact that it is not a Formula 1 car.

Photo: DPPI

“For me, the most important thing is to be driving a fast car! Yes, it is stimulating to be driving for a car manufacturer such as Ferrari. The only Ferrari I ever drove in my life was the old F1 car my father used to race,” concluded Villeneuve.

From Rally America

Subaru Rally Team USA dominated the Oregon Trail Rally to win the third round of the Rally America National Championship held in Portland and Hood River, Oregon on May 3-5.

The British duo, David Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew, never relinquished their lead from the start and drove a masterful race to establish a 2 minute window over their competition and enough breathing room to drive the last day without difficulty.

However, the team nearly ended their event when Higgins struck exposed bedrock at high speeds that tore through their Subaru Impreza WRX STI suspension on stage 16. Higgins gingerly drove through the last stage of the day as the car severely pulled to one side and just made it back to service for repairs.

Photo: Aaron Kathman

This Oregon Trail Rally victory marks the third event win in a row for Higgins and Drew, and the fifth Oregon Trail Rally overall win for Higgins in his career. Higgins extends his Rally America National Championship lead in the standings with 61 points.

Hoonigan Racing's Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino persevered through multiple mechanical difficulties to salvage second place in their 2012 Ford Fiesta.

Indonesia's Rifat Sungkar amazingly completed the podium in third place in his Rally America debut with co-driver Marshall Clarke.

Disappointingly, top Rally America contenders Antoine L'Estage and Nathalie Richard from the Rockstar Energy Rally Team crashed hard their Mitsubishi WRC on stage 9 when L'Estage misheard a navigation note and launched off the road into a tree.



In the Super Production (SP) Class David Sterckx and Karen Jankowski reinserted themselves into class contention with an SP victory.

The fourth round of the Rally America National Championship takes place at the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally in Wellsboro, Penn. on May 31-June 1.

This weekend's Grand Prix of Spain will mark the first Formula 1 race to be held in Europe this season.

The Circuit de Catalunya is one of the most demanding F1 circuits of all. It requires a very good engine, a well-balanced chassis and excellent aerodynamics.

Barcelona statistics
Length (km) : 4.655
Average Speed (km/h): 192
Top Speed (km/h): 323
% of lap at full throttle: 55
Fuel consumption per lap (kg): 2.1
Fuel consumption (l/100km): 64


Barcelona: three corners in detail (from Renault Sport F1)

Turn 1 to 3
The first corner comes at the end of the 1km pit straight on which speeds will peak at well over 300kph. The car and engine are therefore subject to heavy braking loads as the driver scrubs off 50% of that speed to take the first corner at approximately 140kph. Halfway through Turn 1, drivers start to accelerate into Turn 2 and Turn 3 (also known as Renault) but as the circuit starts to climb a car will have a tendency towards ‘snappy' oversteer. Having a delay in engine response or an overshoot in torque delivery will only confirm this trend, thus increasing tyre wear as the car tries to slide to one side and subject the tyres to lateral g-force.

Turn 10
Once through Turn 9 the track begins to descend into Turn 10. The braking zone for this corner is the hardest one of the track, as the cars arrive at 300kph and take the turn at just over 70kph. To give the right stability engineers work very hard on the overrun settings, trying to give neutral engine braking when the driver is off the throttle. In parallel engineers will try to make the downward gear shifts as smooth as possible so the torque gradient change is ironed out and not too aggressive. Giving smooth downshifts and the right level of overrun will result in a better balance, thus helping to control wheel lock and minimize tyre wear. By the end of the corner the driver is down in first gear but needs to accelerate back up the hill. This sends huge loads through the tyres so pedal maps are often designed with just this corner in mind.

Turn 14 to 16
The chicane on this track is very slow and needs, again, the right amount of engine torque, not only at the entry of the corner but in the midpoint of the chicane. In fact the driver will just blip the throttle between the entry and the exit of the chicane as he changes direction. Even if he is only on the power for a millisecond balancing the car on this knife edge is critical to keep the car balanced, minimize wheelspin and ultimately gain lap time. Once the cars exit this chicane traction is very important as the speed will be carried through turn 16, with the driver ultimately going flat out using KERS onto the pit straight.

“The pit straight gives the opportunity for a fully charged KERS to be deployed twice as the KERS energy counter resets on the start/finish line,” said Remi Taffin, Renault Sport F1 Head of Track Operations.

“While a double KERS release in the race is useful to overtake, it puts a lot of stress on the KERS cooling system. We don't think it will be a major problem for us as cooling efficiency is a key element in our package, but it does need to be carefully monitored. Setting up the right top gear in these conditions is then quite a big challenge!”

“The undulating nature of the track also puts the engine internals under pressure so every element of the engine gets a full workout here. The first corner is quite representative of this as the driver accelerates as the track goes uphill. In addition to monitoring the fluid systems, we also need to deliver a smooth torque curve to give controlled power to counter the high Gs,” Taffin explained.

The Allgäu-Orient Rally, which is not only regarded as an exceptional adventure for fans of vintage cars and modern classics, but also as a particularly creative charity campaign, caused a stir in Istanbul, Turkey, when 274 out of 350 participants formed the world's longest ever convoy of children's cars.

The MINI Baby Racers had been handed out to all participating teams at the start of the rally in Oberstaufen, Germany. Then, they set off for southeastern Europe with the little cars stowed in the luggage compartment or strapped to a roof rack.

Many rally racers said they have been approached by locals, tourists and even border agents keen to buy a MINI Baby Racer off them. But the teams did not give in -- after all, the goal was to set a record and then watch children's eyes light up with joy.

The MINI Baby Racers will be donated to toddlers from families in need at one of the subsequent stages along the rally route in Jordan. What's more, all the “standard” rally cars will be auctioned off to raise money for charity.

Photo: MINI

General Motors of Canada has issued a recall on the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu as well as the 2012-2013 Buick Regal and LaCrosse. A total of 438 units are affected, all with e-Assist.

In some cases, the Generator Control Module (GCM) may not function correctly. This could cause a gradual loss of battery charge, which would illuminate the malfunction indicator lamp. Eventually, the engine may stall. In conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the driver's reactions, this could increase the risk of a crash.

In addition, there may be a burning or melting odour, smoke and possibly a fire in the trunk. These issues could result in vehicle damage and/or personal injury.

Dealers will therefore inspect and, if necessary, replace the GCM.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

We've known for a while that the Alfa Romeo Giulietta will star alongside Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in the upcoming Fast & Furious 6 movie. Now, we've found out that the Italian automaker is using some of the footage to launch a new ad campaign. Well done!

Police in Dubai are seriously starting to make many exotic car enthusiasts jealous. After purchasing a Lamborghini Aventador and a Ferrari FF, they've just acquired one of only 77 Aston Martin One-77 supercars in the world.

With a 7.3L V12 engine that produces 750 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, the One-77 becomes the most powerful car in the Dubai police fleet. Similar the two Italians, it will be used to deter speeding drivers and promote the city in popular tourist areas.

All units of the Aston Martin One-77 have already been sold, so the car was no doubt donated by one of Dubai's wealthy residents. It will be joined by a Bentley Continental GT and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

Source : www.motorauthority.com

As part of the programme for the 24-hour endurance race on May 19, Mercedes-Benz will put on a special event highlight for fans at the Nürburgring.

As part of a high-performance demonstration, four Mercedes-AMG vehicles will go up against Michael Schumacher in a Formula 1 Silver Arrow.

Voiture de sécurité F1 2013 (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

The vehicles will start at different times in front of the Mercedes-Benz grandstand but will cross the finish line simultaneously. The Mercedes-AMGs will be driven by: Formula 1 star Nico Rosberg, five-time DTM champion Bernd Schneider, ex-Formula 1 driver Karl Wendlinger and by the official driver of the Formula 1 Safety Car, Bernd Mayländer.

The first vehicle to go out on track will be an A 45 AMG driven by Bernd Mayländer, followed by Karl Wendlinger in the E 63 AMG S, Nico Rosberg in the SLS AMG Black Series, and Bernd Schneider in an SLS AMG GT3. Finally, Michael Schumacher will set off in a Formula 1 on the 20.832km-lap around the Nordschleife (excluding grand prix circuit).

The vehicles and their drivers:

Car: Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG (360bhp, 0-100km/h: 4.6secs)
Driver: Bernd Mayländer

Car: Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG S (585bhp, 0-100 km/h: 3.6secs)
Driver: Karl Wendlinger

Car: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 (more than 500bhp)
Driver: Bernd Schneider

Car: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series (631bhp, 0-100 km/h: 3.6secs)
Driver: Nico Rosberg

Car: MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W02 (approx. 750bhp, 0-100 km/h: 2.7secs)
Driver: Michael Schumacher

Mercedes W02. (Photo: WRi2)

There used to be an old saying regarding Mercedes-Benz: It was said that the company only updated its models every 10 years or so (whether they needed to or not), and it's something which has helped MB products maintain some of the best resale values in the industry.

In many ways this still holds true and is an important consideration when outright purchasing a new vehicle. However, times change and most lease customers today couldn't care less about resale values (even though they should), so the Mercedes-Benz GLK which has only been out for a few short years receives a mid-life update for 2013.

Of course, as the GLK is the company's second-best seller after the C-Class (which it's loosely based upon), one could hardly expect MB to go crazy with this update. So, apart from a surprising new diesel option, most changes on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK are somewhat subtle.


What's new for 2013
The exterior of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 receives a few styling updates together with three new available colours: Luzonit Grey, Diamond Silver, and my favourite Polar White (yes, white is definitely the new black). The interior also gets a tad funkier with some new colour schemes for the instrument clusters and display units (very nice), and a slight redesign of the cabin area.

There's a new CGI V6 (302 hp & 0-100km/hr in 6.5 seconds) available for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 4MATIC (borrowed from the 2012 SLK 350), and this now offers the GLK an ECO Start/Stop feature.

The 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 RWD has been deleted from the lineup. Truthfully, I never understood the logic behind a 2WD SUV anyway, and I guess I wasn't alone in this thinking or MB would still be offering this option.

Of course, the real meat in the pie, so to speak, is the announcement of the all-new 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC.

The exterior of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 receives a few styling updates together with three new available colours: Luzonit Grey, Diamond Silver, and my favourite Polar White. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan)

Yes, I've driven the new diesel-powered GLK and I can say hand-on-heart that my fellow diesel fans are going to love this vehicle! Its 2.1L bi-turbo inline 4-cylinder diesel puts out around 200 hp, which may not sound like much if you've been listening to the boasts of your V8-gasoline-owning friends, but its 369 lb-ft of torque should make them sit up and take notice. After all, torque is the important figure here as it's this which actually moves your vehicle.

The 0-100 km/hr time of 8 seconds, although superb for a small diesel unit, probably won't set any land speed records. Yet, pull out to overtake slower vehicles on a highway in the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 BlueTEC and its torque will impress to no end!

Mated to the 7G-TRONIC PLUS transmission (the same unit that's in the GLK 350), the vehicle is quiet in operation and, when set in Sport mode, the GLK 250 becomes quite the plaything.

Unfortunately, the lure of the aforementioned Sport mode meant that yours truly didn't exactly hypermile. In fact, while taking in a few enjoyable back roads in the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 BlueTEC, plus a fair amount of highway miles, it's fair to say that I barely glanced at the fuel gauge. So, let's just go with the official MB combined fuel economy figure of 7.2L/100km (8.3 City/5.9 Hwy) which makes this the most fuel-efficient compact SUV on sale in Canada. That's impressive, especially when you consider that this quote includes all compact SUVs sold here, and not just the premium brands!

With pricing for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 BlueTec 4MATIC starting at just $43,500 (which is $1,400 less than the base GLK 350), I predict a lot of these hitting our roads this year; and why not? After all, it's already a hugely popular vehicle here in Canada, outselling just about everything in its class (BMW's X3, the Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, and the Land Rover LR2).

Fellow diesel fans are going to love this vehicle! Its 2.1L bi-turbo inline 4-cylinder diesel puts out around 200 hp. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan)

Yes, this is the model GLK buyers have been waiting for and (if you want my opinion) it's the model to finance or purchase outright, as the resale values should prove excellent on these down the line. After all, there's another old saying which still rings true: There's always a lineup of buyers looking for a well-loved, secondhand diesel Mercedes!

From GMM

Ten months after her Marussia testing crash, Maria de Villota will return to a formula one paddock this weekend in her native Spain.

Last July, the 33-year-old was conducting a straightline aerodynamic test at Duxford, UK, when the 2012 Marussia inexplicably accelerated into a truck loading ramp.

De Villota, whose father is the former F1 driver Emilio de Villota, sustained serious head injuries and lost her right eye.

Photo: Marussia F1 Team

Scheduled to attend this weekend's Spanish grand prix in Barcelona, she told Europa she is "a little nervous".

"It's the first race I'm going to after the accident, so I'm finding it harder to sleep. It's hard for me, because I miss it, but I want to see all the drivers at home and I think we'll see a great race, as we have seen lately," said de Villota.

"I want to thank many people that I have not seen since the accident, and I've been unable to acknowledge the support they gave me, like by putting my star on their helmet."

She admitted she will have mixed feelings when she bumps into Marussia team members.

"I think now they're working with new drivers, which is the natural cycle of things. I was with them, but life goes on," said Maria de Villota.

Sergio Perez' helmet with the star for Maria de Villota, last Summer. (Photo: WRi2)

One of NASCAR's favourite little guy teams may be shutting its' garage doors after the Brickyard 400.

According to a Florida newspaper team owner, James Finch, unable to find a sponsor for his Phoenix Racing team may be leaving Sprint Cup racing.

"I'm contemplating finishing up this year, and I don't know if I want a sponsor," Finch said Monday. "Sunday was my 776th start in NASCAR between the Nationwide and Sprint Cup. That's a lot of weekends. I'm considering pulling the plug later in the summer."

The 62 year-old Finch, a Panama City, Fl construction company owner, told the News Herald that he would not enter races after the Brickyard 400 weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the end of July.

"I have not been able to get the right amount of funding, the economy is pretty bad, and a lot of people don't want to do it," Finch said of his team's fruitless search for a permanent sponsor. "I'm getting kind of burned out. I think it is time for me to do something else."

AJ Allmendinger, Phoenix Racing. (Photo: NASCAR)

Ironically Phoenix Racing is having one of its' most successful years in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup. But it's not good enough to obtain a sponsor to compete with the $15 to $20-million dollar budget of some of NASCAR's more famous.

To be minimally competitive it requires numerous iterations of the 3400 pound Gen-6 stock car.

"I've still got some cars I haven't torn up,” said Finch, “and I don't want to build any new ones."

He's hired the famous and sometimes infamous drivers over the years. Brad Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup Champion, drove one of Finch's cars to Victory Lane in Talladega in 2009.

When Kurt Busch left Penske Racing Finch hired him, and this year another former Penske NASCAR driver A.J. Allmendinger.

Racing part-time and full-time in the Nationwide Series since 1989 Finch counts 13 victories.

In recent years Phoenix purchased equipment from Hendrick Motorsports and competed full-time at the Cup level since 2011.

He's even given a chance to up and comers such as Richard Childress' grandson, Austin Dillon. "I started with all my friends, and now I'm racing with a lot of their sons," Finch said. "Austin Dillon, he's a little kid who drove for me (twice this season). I remember when he was born."

From GMM

Seven years into his F1 career, Lewis Hamilton thinks he is now mature enough to handle any teammate.

Before switching to Mercedes for 2013, the long-time former McLaren driver expressed interest in joining Red Bull, whose Sebastian Vettel has won the world championship three times on the trot.

But back in 2007, Briton Hamilton fell out spectacularly with his then teammate Fernando Alonso.

Dr Helmut Marko, now grappling with the disintegrating relationship between Vettel and Mark Webber, said it's simply a problem when two "alpha dogs" clash.

But Hamilton told the Daily Mail: "Now I'm older, I'm sure we would have a different relationship."

Referring to himself and Spaniard Alonso, he added: "There would still be intense moments because we are both quick, so we would be very close to each other, but we've both matured a lot. I think I'm much better at nurturing relationships between teammates now. It depends on the drivers. Put Sebastian with Fernando Alonso and the team would be in trouble straight away, the chemistry would just ... (Hamilton whistles)."

"You know, I even think I could drive with Sebastian. I just wouldn't turn the engine down," Hamilton mused.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

No longer under the control of McLaren supremo Ron Dennis or his father Anthony, Hamilton also says he has learned to cope with criticism.

A good example is the last few months, when Sir Jackie Stewart initially slammed Hamilton's move to Mercedes, and then tipped the 28-year-old as a title favourite for 2013.

"I think I've definitely developed a thicker skin," said Hamilton. "At the start, it's easier to get stung. I'm more consistent now because my mental strength has improved. So when Jackie Stewart talks about me, I just laugh it off. Some people are nosey, or they've nothing better to do. They're entitled to their opinions, but Jackie talks a lot."

It took Bell, Boeing and the United States military decades to get the V-22 Osprey from idea to deployable platform. But with one flying car in the final stages of development, Terrafugia's looking to the military tiltrotor for inspiration.

VinSolutions, a unit of the AutoTrader Group, has agreed to buy Haystak Digital Marketing.

VinSolutions, a unit of the AutoTrader Group, has agreed to buy Haystak Digital Marketing.Terms of the deal and revenue for the companies were undisclosed.