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Renault Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn has taken on the chairmanship of the new AvtoVAZ board of directors which has been increased from 12 to 15 members, including eight people from the Alliance.

Reports that the Peugeot family is willing to hand over its automotive business to General Motors or China's Dongfeng Motor may have an ulterior motive.

RM Auctions will sell a very unique piece of automotive engineering -- and a movie icon -- at its London auction on September 8-9, 2013: the Lotus Esprit Series 1 ‘Submarine' Car that starred in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

Specifically designed and built for the famous underwater sequence, it was developed from one of six Esprit body shells used in the making of the film -- and is the only car to be built into a fully operational, self-propelled ‘submarine'. Known as ‘Wet Nellie' on the set, it was later shipped to Long Island, NY, where it was kept in an unassuming storage unit on a ten-year rental, paid in advance.

Here's the twist: In 1989, the rent delinquent unit was put up ‘blind' for public auction. A modest winning bid from an area couple brought surprise and wonder when the blankets were removed to reveal the iconic 007 ‘Submarine' Car.

The Lotus made a few appearances afterwards -- including a stint at the Petersen Automotive Museum -- but for the most part remained closely under wraps, until now.

No estimation has been provided for this car, but you should know that RM Auctions sold “the most famous car in the world”, the Aston Martin DB5 used by Sean Connery in Goldfinger and Thunderball, for £2.9 million (approx. $4.6 million CAD) in 2010.

Photo: RM Auctions

From GMM

Ferrari should pull out of formula one if historic Monza is axed from the calendar.

That is the view of Roberto Maroni, the president of Lombardy, in the wake of Bernie Ecclestone's warning this week that even Monza might not be safe as he looks to scrap "a couple of races" in Europe in favour of "emerging markets".

Maroni is quoted by La Repubblica: "He (Ecclestone) thinks he's father and master of the world, but he cannot decide such a thing without even consulting with people. If he does (axe Monza), there would only be one thing to do -- Ferrari withdraw from the grand prix and the formula one circuit."

As for whether Lombardy could intervene directly, Maroni confirmed he is "interested in any solution".

President of Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, and Bernie Ecclestone. (Photo: WRi2)

Just two weeks after a track worker was tragically killed at the end of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, the world of motorsport was shocked by the death of a driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Very early into the race, Allan Simonsen, one of the three drivers of the No. 95 Aston Martin, lost control of his car at the Tertre-Rouge corner.

The Aston Martin crashed hard into the guardrail at a high speed. The 34-year-old Dane did not survive his injuries, proving that the impact must have been incredibly violent.

This tragic accident reminds us -- yet again -- that motorsport is still a very dangerous activity. The problem is that some people tend to believe that modern race cars are simply safe and nothing can happen.

During the 2011 running of the Le Mans classic race, Audi came extremely close to losing two of its drivers.

Allan McNish's No. 3 Audi was completely destroyed when it slammed into the guardrail. A few hours later, the No. 1 Audi, driven by Mike Rockenfeller, also crashed extremely hard at high speed during the night.

Photo: WRI2

McNish and Rockenfeller could have been very seriously injured -- if not killed -- in theses crashes, but luckily (and miraculously) they escaped without harm.

My concern here is to hear some people say: “See? Race cars are now very secure. Motor racing has become extremely safe”... And life goes on...

For me that's the wrong statement. I'd say we need to increase safety even more. Yes, two drivers escaped serious injury at Le Mans two years ago, but it was writing on the wall that one day, one driver would not be as lucky as they were.

McNish and Rockenfeller's crashes should have been taken as serious wake-up calls.

I see a similar attitude on our roads. Despite new road cars being fitted with all the latest technology and safety devices, the ultimate link between the vehicle and the road remains the driver. No safety feature will ever be absolutely perfect.

From GMM

Kimi Raikkonen has admitted he has had "small talks" with Red Bull about replacing Mark Webber next year.

Earlier reluctant to discuss his future beyond saying his Lotus contract is expiring, the 2007 world champion is now admitting that moving to the reigning world champion team is a real option.

Sebastian Vettel has made clear he would like to share the 2014 garage with his Finnish friend.

Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel on the Bahrain podium. (Photo: WRi2)

Raikkonen admitted: "It would be interesting to drive against him in the same car. It would be a big challenge, but that is why we are here. If you have a chance to be there you should take it.

"I would say Lotus or them (Red Bull) is the only options," the 33-year-old told British broadcaster Sky.

A key to a Raikkonen-Red Bull marriage would be to emulate his situation at Lotus, where the introverted Finn does minimal sponsor appearances.

"They might sound like stupid, small things but I've been long enough in the business to know what I want," he admitted.

It is thought that, Raikkonen aside, the only other candidates Red Bull would seriously consider are Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne, who currently drive for the energy drink company's junior team, Toro Rosso.

But Australian Ricciardo admitted his cause has not been helped by a competitive dip in recent races.

"I haven't really come off a strong few (races) to give me bragging rights to say 'That's mine, everyone'," he smiled, according to Reuters.

Daniel Ricciardo said Red Bull continues to back young drivers with the ultimate aim that they emulate Vettel's feat and graduate to the top team.

But Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost said the prerequisite is title-winning potential.

"Both drivers would have to show an extraordinarily good second half of the season," he told Speed Week, "because, and we must never forget, we are talking about the champion team."

Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo. (Photo: Red Bull Racing)

Sebastian Vettel is making no secret that he is pushing hard in Raikkonen's favour, but on the other hand he is also not rubbishing Ricciardo or Vergne's chances.

"I don't think it's fair to compare Kimi with Daniel or Jean-Eric. Their careers are totally different," he is quoted by Brazil's Totalrace.

Ultimately, however, the triple world champion will have a say.

"It's not my decision, but if I am asked, I will speak my mind," said the German.

Dr Helmut Marko told Bild newspaper: "This is a team, and so we need to ensure the greatest possible harmony. The best decision is one that is made in agreement on all sides. This includes Sebastian."

From GMM

F1's 'blown exhaust' and 'Coanda' era will be definitely over in 2014.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reported on Friday that the FIA has dictated that the turbo V6s only have one exhaust outlet, and that it must exit beyond the diffuser.

That will mean that, unlike in previous years, the phenomenon of engine exhaust gases having an aerodynamic effect will be almost completely removed.

Even the "area behind the exhaust pipe is a forbidden zone", Auto Motor und Sport added.

Red Bull RB8. (Photo: WRi2)

Hyundai Canada today announced that the updated Equus luxury sedan will be priced from $64,799 in Signature trim and $72,999 in Ultimate trim when it arrives in dealerships later this summer.

The company's flagship sedan has received a series of significant enhancements in the areas of interior design, materials selection, vehicle dynamics, technology, and safety.

Both versions of the 2014 Hyundai Equus ride on 19” wheels and use a 5.0L V8 engine that produces 429 horsepower through an 8-speed SHIFTRONIC automatic transmission. Standard features include genuine wood trim, a leather-wrapped dashboard, a 608-watt, 17-speaker Lexicon surround sound system, a 9.2” touchscreen infotainment system, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking assistance with rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot detection, and more.

Meanwhile, the Equus Ultimate adds a 12.3” fully digital gauge cluster, head-up display, power-closing doors and trunk lid, and dual 9.2” rear-seat entertainment monitors, among other luxurious amenities.

Photo: Hyundai

From GMM

Barcelona is unapologetic after putting tickets on sale for a 2014 Spanish grand prix.

Valencia, absent from this year's schedule, this week expressed surprise that tickets for a F1 race at the Circuit de Catalunya have gone on sale.

Valencia vice president Jose Ciscar said a "verbal agreement" between the port city and Barcelona to alternate a single Spanish F1 race, starting with Valencia in 2014, is now "in force".

But Barcelona circuit president Vicenc Aguilera told Spain's Marca sports newspaper: "We have a contract until 2016 and we will organise (a race) every year until then.

"Indeed, if we can, we'll do even more years," he added.

From GMM

Lewis Hamilton has repeated his depiction of Sebastian Vettel as a "fantastic driver" at the wheel of an "awesome car".

Earlier this week, triple world champion and 2013 points leader Vettel insisted he is not fazed by the likes of Hamilton or Fernando Alonso, who constantly herald one another's talents but hail only Vettel's Red Bull car.

When asked about that sort of criticism, 2008 world champion Hamilton accused the media of being "unfair".

"It's unfair to say we criticise him and say he (Vettel) doesn't belong with Fernando and I. He does belong in that group, definitely," the Briton is quoted by the Mirror.

Hamilton said Vettel is "an absolutely fantastic driver", but "he really does have an awesome car".

"I think he would have a much tougher time if he was positioned with some different drivers," he added. "My comments are from what I see when I get to race wheel to wheel with him -- well, the few seconds that I do before he flies off into the distance. I am sure in the back of every driver's mind is 'What would it be like if I was in that car?'"

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes AMG) leading Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) in Canada. (Photo: WRi2)

However, two pundits believe Lewis Hamilton should be looking at himself rather than others as he assesses why he only has a single title to his name.

"I think something happened a few years ago when he was looking for something in life outside of formula one," Gary Anderson, a leading F1 engineer turned broadcaster, told Speed Week.

"In my opinion he lost some focus. He needs to understand that what you do on Sunday is not enough -- you have to think about nothing else than success, seven days a week. I no longer see that in him."

1996 world champion Damon Hill has a similar view.

"I don't want to say Lewis is naive, but he has a lot to learn," he told the London Evening Standard.

"He genuinely wants to pursue his career in his own way. But the sport that he's in is a very Machiavellian place. To succeed in formula one you have to be a bit ruthless, have a focus, and almost a business mindset," added Hill.

On the other hand, although Hamilton eventually railed against the level of control exerted upon him, Anderson thinks Hamilton was the right man for McLaren.

Considering the great British team's seemingly endless 2013 crisis, he wonders: "Is Jenson Button just too nice for the situation they're in? I'm sure Lewis would make more fuss about it."

From GMM

An irked Christian Horner has revealed he found out about Mark Webber's decision to leave Red Bull only an hour before the rest of the world.

"I suppose an hour's notice is a bit short," the Briton told reporters at Silverstone. "I think the guys at the factory would be disappointed to learn about it on the internet."

Horner's comments sparked immediate rumours of ill feeling as the Australian departs F1 for Porsche, with memories of the 'Multi-21' affair and strained relations with Sebastian Vettel and Helmut Marko still fresh.

"I informed Christian before the announcement which contractually I should do, so that's what we did," said Webber.

The 36-year-old said the way the news broke was not supposed to be a slight on his colleagues on the factory floor at Milton-Keynes.

"They've been superb for me on the floor there," said Webber, "but Porsche were very keen to make the announcement. It was about Porsche and Mark Webber today."

Mark Webber and Christian Horner. (Photo: WRi2)

And in fact, it seems Red Bull's billionaire owner - and key Webber ally - Dietrich Mateschitz knew about the plans well in advance.

A sponsorship deal for 2014 and beyond may even have been done during the week.

"It (Webber's move) has been known by us for a few weeks," Austrian Mateschitz is quoted by Speed Week.

"We have been talking about it quite a few times," he added, amid reports Webber visited Mateschitz in Salzburg this week before returning to Britain.

"Mark will remain a part of the Red Bull family," said Mateschitz.

Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo set the fastest time in a rain soaked first practice session for the British Grand Prix while Nico Rosberg emerged fastest on a dry track in the afternoon.

Ricciardo, who is one of the candidates for the Porsche bound Mark Webber in 2014, set his initial lap time of over two minutes at around the 76-minute marker, which kick-started what had been a relatively quiet session.

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG (Photo: WRI2)

However, he managed to improve over a period of eight laps to set a quickest time of 1m59.249 seconds.

Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg was second 0.784s behind Ricciardo, but managed to stay ahead of third placed Pastor Maldonado, and local favourite, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who had led briefly led at one stage.

Hulkenberg's Sauber team-mate, Esteban Gutierrez and Williams' Valtteri Bottas rounded out the top-six, in a session which only featured 11 drivers.

Notable incidents of the session were Charles Pic spinning at the final corner and damaging his front wing, after being caught out by the treacherous conditions. Gutierrez also aquaplaned at Turn 1 and despite taking the corner sideways, managed to escape damage free.

Free practice 2
The second practice session saw Nico Rosberg once again underline Mercedes' one-lap advantage to set the quickest time by 0.3 seconds ahead of the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

Force India's Paul di Resta and Rosberg's Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton, gave the British crowds something to cheer about after finishing fourth and fifth in conditions which were vastly improved from the morning washout.

Despite the improved weather, Felipe Massa managed to have his third accident in as many races, after he lost control of the Ferrari at Stowe corner, and removed its front end.

As a result, the Brazilian has only had seven laps of running ahead of tomorrow's qualifying session and finished the session at the bottom of the timing boards.

FP1 pace setter Daniel Ricciardo was sixth in the Toro Rosso, ahead of team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne, Adrian Sutil, Romain Grosjean and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso who rounded out the top-10.

Despite finishing 10th, the Ferrari showed Red Bull matching race-pace on its longer runs.

McLaren had another quiet afternoon and is suspected to be continuing to suffer from ride height issues, which have plagued its difficult 2013 car, with Jenson Button and Sergio Perez finishing 11th and 14th respectively.

Kimi Raikkonen also had a relatively quiet session in 13th, but it is expected that Lotus has not fully shown its potential this weekend as it plans to use its Drag Reduction System later over the weekend.

Grosjean was also not without upgrades to the team's E21 car, as he ran upgraded bodywork on the #8 car.

The first-ever Corvette went into production in Flint, Michigan on June 30th, 1953 -- exactly 60 years ago. As a way to pay tribute to the iconic sports car, Chevrolet has revealed a number of interesting facts including a few lesser known tidbits:

- Corvette is the world's longest-running, continuously produced passenger car. The longest-running vehicle of any type is the Chevrolet Suburban.

- Corvette made its debut as a concept vehicle at the General Motors Autorama in New York City on January 17th, 1953. It was such a success that a limited run of 300 production Corvettes began on June 30th of that year.

- All 1953 models were Polo White with a red interior and they were priced at $3,498. In 2006, the third 1953 Corvette produced sold for a record $1.06 million at auction.

- Up to 1955, Corvette was exclusively available with an inline 6-cylinder engine. That year, the optional V8 engine was ordered by 90% of buyers, so the 6-cylinder was dropped.

- No 1983 Corvettes were sold to the public. The model year was skipped in preparation for the all-new 1984 Corvette, which launched the C4 generation. However, 44 Corvette prototypes were built as 1983 models. Only one remains, and it's on display at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Photo: Chevrolet

From GMM

Sauber's chief designer Matt Morris is leaving the Swiss team, according to international media reports.

The German-language Speed Week, Blick and Auto Motor und Sport report that Briton Morris, 39, will be replaced by a deputy at the Hinwil based team, Eric Gandelin, a Frenchman who has been head of concept design.

Speed Week reports that Morris tendered his resignation, apparently after receiving an offer from another team.

Eric Gandelin will reportedly start work on 1 July, becoming the third Sauber designer in as many years, in the wake of Morris and James Key before him.

Auto Motor und Sport said it has heard Morris, who has worked previously for Cosworth and Williams, is heading to McLaren.

Meanwhile, Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn revealed she "expects" the team to stay with Ferrari power in 2014 as F1 moves from V8 to turbo V6 engines.

Sauber C32-Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

Dorel Juvenile Group is recalling 26,558 Eddie Bauer and Safety 1st child seats that were manufactured in 2012.

During testing, the plastic seat shell cracked, allowing the seatback to recline excessively and increase the risk of injury from impact forces being transferred to the child during a crash. For the Enspira 65 model specifically, this crack also exposed sharp edges which could increase the risk of injury to a child occupant, or a parent/caregiver manipulating the seat.

All registered owners will receive a replacement seat shell kit and installation instructions. Non-registered owners and those who have moved should contact Dorel Juvenile Group at 1-866-446-2628. In any case, no child seat should be returned to the retailer.

Affected models include:

• 2012 Eddie Bauer Enspira 65
• 2012 Eddie Bauer XRS 65
• 2012 Safety 1st Cruise Air 65
• 2012 Safety 1st Cruise Air LX 65
• 2012 Safety 1st Enspira 65
• 2012 Safety 1st Guide 65

Source: Transports Canada

The World Motor Sport Council met Friday at historic Goodwood House, the 300-year-old home of the Earl and Countess of March to validate the latest modifications to the 2014 Formula 1 technical rules.

To begin, the FIA President and the Commercial Rights Holder advised that negotiations regarding the Concorde Agreement were close to conclusion with the intention the contract between the FIA and FOM will be signed in the near future.

Modifications to 2014 F1 technical rules:

Further to a request from Mercedes, it will be permitted to supply engines to a maximum of four Formula One teams in 2014.

A penalty point system for drivers will be introduced. If a driver accumulates more than 12 points he will be banned from the next race. Points will stay on the driver's licence for 12 months. The amount of points a driver may be given for infringements will vary from one to three depending upon the severity of the offence.

The procedure for a driver to be given the chance to give back any advantage he may have gained by leaving the track has been adopted.

A significant reduction in the amount of wind tunnel testing and CFD work has been imposed to help reduce costs and potentially allow two teams to share one wind tunnel.

Four two-day track tests will be allowed in season in place of the current eight one-day promotional days and the three-day young driver test. These will take place at tracks in Europe on the Tuesday and Wednesday after a race in order to ensure minimal additional resources are necessary.

Track testing will now also be permitted in January 2014 in order to allow earlier testing of the new power units.

For safety reasons all team personnel working on a car in a race pit stop will be required to wear head protection.

Each driver will be provided with one extra set of tyres for use only during the first 30 minutes of the first practice session on Friday, to encourage teams to take to the track at that time without having to worry about using valuable tyre wear.

A number of new regulations have been confirmed to govern the new, far more complex power units. It is agreed that only five power units may be used by each driver for the whole season. Any use of an additional complete power unit will result in that driver having to start the race from the pit lane. Any changes of individual elements above the permitted five, such as turbocharger, MGU or Energy Store, will result in a 10 grid place penalty.

No manufacturer will be allowed to homologate more than one power unit during the homologation period from 2014-2020. Changes to the homologated unit will continue to be permitted for installation, reliability or cost saving reasons.

Drivers must now use a gearbox for six consecutive events, an increase from the current five.

No car may use more than 100kg of fuel for the race, from the time the lights go out at the start of the race to the chequered flag. This will be monitored by the use of an FIA approved fuel flow meter.

The pit lane speed limit, which is currently set at 60km/h for the free practice sessions and 100km/h for the qualifying practice and race (60km/h for the whole event in Melbourne, Monaco and Singapore), has been amended so it is set at 80km/h for the whole event (except the three races mentioned which would stay at 60km/h for the whole event). This is for safety reasons, as most accidents happen during the race when the speed limit is higher; drivers also have very little chance to practice stopping from 100km/h until the race.

From GMM

Engine makers will have to supply identical packages to each partner team when the new V6 formula kicks off next year.

But Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that Red Bull and Renault fought hard against the FIA's plans, with the reigning champions having wanted to involve team sponsor Infiniti - Nissan's luxury arm - in the development of its power unit.

But the entire Renault 'power unit' will now have to be homologated, meaning all of Renault's customers - including Toro Rosso and probably Lotus and Caterham - receive exactly the same package.

Renault V6 engine. (Photo: Renault Sport F1)

Auto Motor und Sport said that rule will be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council on Friday.

The German report said Mercedes argued strongly against allowing different engine specifications for individual teams, which might have driven up costs and deepened the gap between the big and small teams.

A paddock source is quoted as saying: "Infiniti can build their own engine if they want to."

From GMM

Felipe Massa has admitted he has "a good chance" of staying at Ferrari in 2014.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali said in Canada that the Brazilian is "absolutely" likely to remain Fernando Alonso's teammate next year, despite a recent run of crashes.

"I think I have a good chance to stay here," Massa told Brazil's Agencia Estado at Silverstone. "I have to keep working and getting good results because, after all, it's the results that count. But I'm confident of doing well until the end of the season."

Asked how long it might be before Ferrari present him with a 2014 contract to sign, the 32-year-old answered: "I don't think a long time."

Felipe Massa, Ferrrari, in Silverstone. (Photo: WRi2)

He denied that his recent run of crashes in Monaco and Montreal had hurt his confidence.

"I have never been a driver with problems of accidents, as happened in the last two races. So I don't think you can put pressure (on yourself) because of that," said Massa.

In 2014 Formula 1 will enter a new era. The most significant technical change to hit the sport in more than two decades is introduced with the switch from V8 to V6 turbo engines.

The revolution is such that experts no longer talk about an engine but rather a power unit.

Engine regulations form the major part of the coming revolution, with the introduction of a new generation of Power Units that combine a 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged engine with energy recovery systems that will dramatically increase efficiency by harvesting energy dissipated as heat in the exhaust or brakes.

Photo: Renault Sport F1

The maximum power of the new Power Unit will exceed the output of current V8 F1 engines however fuel efficiency will be radically improved. With only 100kg permitted for the race, the new units will use 35% less fuel than their predecessors.

The rules for 2014
• 1.6L direct injection turbo V6
• Unique pressure charging architecture: single turbine and compressor (plus E-motor allowed)
• 5 Power Units per driver per season in 2014, reducing to 4 in subsequent years

Strong focus on improved vehicle fuel efficiency / reduced fuel consumption:
• Fuel quantity for the race limited to 100 kg initially (-35% from now - currently unlimited)
• Fuel mass flow rate limited to 100 kg/hr max - currently unlimited
• Potent Energy Recovery Systems (ERS) are allowed

The chart below illustrates the basic technical differences between the current V8 engines and next year's V6 power units.

Chart: Renault Sport F1

Kyle Petty, a retired NASCAR Cup driver and son of Hall of Famer and seven time champion “the King,” Richard Petty, has a reputation for speaking his mind without restrictions.

As a regular commentator on SpeedTV's Race Hub Petty has an opinion on just about everything related to stock car racing.

On Wednesday night the eight-race Cup winner gave his opinion NASCAR's only and highest profile driver according to Forbes magazine's list of the top 100 celebrities.

Danica Patrick. (Photo: NASCAR)

Another Race Hub analyst, Matt Clark, asked Petty what he thought of Ms. Patrick.
Kyle Petty: I've said it from the very beginning; she's just a marketing machine. That's a fact, Jack.

Clark: She's hot...
Petty: Yeah, she's hot. She's a hot commodity and rightfully so. In a market where everybody that crawls into a race car on a Sunday afternoon in Cup racing is male; she's the female. I don't have a problem with her being a marketing machine - more power to her.

Clark: Where's she at as a driver?
Petty: That's where I have a problem. Where fans have bought into the hype of the marketing, to think she's a race car driver. She can go fast, and I've seen her go fast. She drives the wheels off it when she goes fast.

Clark: ... but has she learned to race?
Petty: She's not a race car driver. There's a difference. ‘The King' (Richard Petty) always had that stupid saying, but it's true, ‘Lots of drivers can drive fast, but very few drivers can race.' Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than what she runs. She can go fast, but she can't race. I think she's come a long way, but she's still not a race car driver. And I don't think she's ever going to be a race car driver.

Clark: Why?
Petty: Because I think it's too late to learn.

Clark: Then what makes a difference between a good driver, and a great driver?
Petty: If I knew, I'd be a great driver. I was not a great driver, and I'll be the first to admit it. I was a journeyman driver. Just like in the NFL or any sport, there are journeyman players...