From GMM
Mercedes says it would be willing to give Robert Kubica a formula one test.
The German marque this week declined to comment on reports the Pole has been driving at the wheel of Mercedes' sophisticated F1 simulator at Brackley.
But Kubica, 28, did confirm the reports, prompting shareholder and chairman Toto Wolff to admit on Friday that the former BMW and Renault driver is "helping" Mercedes.
"If there's any chance of getting him back in a DTM touring car or F1 cockpit, we'd love to do it," he told the
BBC. "Any team would love to have a Robert Kubica."
Toto Wolff clarified, however, that Kubica - whose right arm is still injured in the wake of his near-fatal 2011 crash - is now mainly focused on rallying.
"He is somebody I have known for 10 years but it's absolutely his call how he wants to help us and his main focus is rallying," he said.
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| Robert Kubica and Toto Wolff. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz) |
In most Formula 1 cars, the DRS (Drag Reduction System) is activated by the driver pushing on a button located on the steering wheel. Ferrari however uses a different system.
In most F1 cars, the DRS is activated by pressing on that button and is automatically deactivated when the driver starts to brake.
“When the rear flap comes back into its original position, it takes a fraction of a second for the air flows to reattach. If the driver starts to brake hard when the two flows are still perturbed, braking is not as effective as it should be,” Laurent Mekies, head of vehicle engineering at Toro Rosso told Auto123.com.
This year's Ferrari F138 has two pedals, like in any other F1 car. But according to veteran F1 journalist and engineer, Giorgio Piola, there is a third small pedal or s switch located on the far left.
When Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa want to activate the DRS, they move their left foot to the left and press on that switch. The DRS is open.
Coming to a braking zone, they move their left foot from the DRS switch to the brake pedal. That fraction of a second gives the system enough time to return the flap of the rear wing to the high downforce position for effective braking.
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| Photo: WRi2 |
IndyCar's track designer Tony Cotman is expecting more speed and more overtaking on the streets of Sao Paulo following changes that have been made to the track for the upcoming Sao Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestle.
A modification to Turns 1 and 2 of the 2.536-mile street circuit will maximize passing opportunities for the drivers as well as give them a chance to post faster lap times during qualifying.
“Turn 2 is about 10 feet wider now and the curbs that are there have been lowered, so the corner will be quicker, without question. The goal was to help improve things for double-file restarts and particularly in the rain. We've seen how difficult it can be over the years.” Said Cotman
The widening of the corner will allow cars to race side-by-side as they come off the concrete portion of the Sambadrome and into complex known as the “S” of Samba.
Cotman also said there has been some smoothening of bumps, particularly in Turn 10, as well as some drainage issues.
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| Start of the 2012 edition. (Photo: LAT/IndyCar) |
Hourly workers at a Flex-N-Gate plant in Arlington, Texas, voted to join the UAW on Wednesday. Of the 73 employees eligible to vote, 51 voted in favor of union representation and 22 opposed, the National Labor Relations Board said today.
General Motors has agreed to buy the original Durant-Dort Carriage Company factory in Flint, Mich., a site GM North America President Mark Reuss calls "the birthplace of GM."
On Thursday, the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 was announced, and if you are one to get excited about pace cars, it's time to get excited.
Honda plans to build a $470 million factory in Celaya, Mexico, to assemble continuously variable transmissions.
Driven by a domestic-brand sales surge, AutoNation, the nation's largest dealership group, reported a 10 percent gain in new-vehicle sales in April.
General Motors (GM) has reported a 14% fall in net profits during the first three months of 2013, as its European operations were hit by the region's economic crisis.
News
2 May, 2013
McLaren has confirmed that two-thirds of the P1 production run has sold
New car sales in Italy, Europe's fourth-largest car market, fell 11 percent in April from the same month a year ago to 116,209 vehicles, Italy's Transport Ministry said on Thursday.
News
2 May, 2013
Audi has confirmed that a hybrid supercar is on track for production, but could use petrol power instead of diesel
When you stop and think about it, the ice cream truck -- that music-blaring, sometimes creepy summertime staple -- is a truly incredible thing.
Hyundai Motor will expand production at one of its factories in Beijing, China.
I credit (or blame, depending on the day) the Maserati Ghibli for my automotive affliction.
Higher new-vehicle sales and increased gross profits in all business segments drove Group 1 Automotive's operating income higher during the first quarter of 2012, but net income dropped 4 percent.
Volkswagen is developing a 10-speed dual-clutch transmission to help reduce fuel consumption in its vehicles, CEO Martin Winterkorn said.
A 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 Hemi convertible was the top seller at the second annual Novi Metro Detroit Spring Classic Car Auction on April 27.
KAR Auction Services, parent company of vehicle-auction company ADESA, said its first-quarter net income rose 12 percent to $29 million on a 10 percent increase in revenue, to $558 million.
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