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Organisers of the DTM series decided to introduce a new system to identify cars shod on the option Hankook tires.

Since the race held at Spielberg, option tires carried a bigger written yellow brand name on the tire walls.

Photo: Red Bull Ring

The situation will be improved as a new technical device makes it possible to identify the type of tire used in each car and to include it in the TV graphics. This is made possible by the use of sensors mounted to the wheels of the Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz DTM cars.

In addition to the air pressure, these sensors will also transmit the information if a car is running on option tires.

This is made possible by an individual code of the sensor that is entered by the representative of the German Motor Sport Association, DMSB, in the marshalling system prior to the distribution of the option tires.

Every driver receives - solely for the race - one set of option tires and must run it at any point during the race.

The University of Toronto's Blue Sky Solar Racing Team recently unveiled the B-7 car that will take part in the 2013 World Solar Challenge from October 6-13 in Australia.

Made of carbon fibre, the ultra-lightweight B-7 will race 3,000 kilometres across the Australian outback in a collective effort to promote sustainable mobility. Participants will start in Darwin on October 6th, and cross the finish line in Adelaide on the 13th.

It will be Blue Sky Solar Racing's 4th attempt at finishing in the top 10 teams (out of 50 or so) at the World Solar Challenge.

Also competing in this year's event will be students from the Ecole de technologie supérieure de Montréal and University of Calgary.

Source: Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

From GMM

Stefano Domenicali has refused to comment on speculation former Lotus technical director James Allison is definitely headed to Ferrari.

"It is a topic covered by a lot of rumours," team boss Domenicali is quoted by Russia's f1news.ru website, "so I will not make a comment."

The Italian was also asked about Ferrari's likely engine customers for the 2014 season, amid reports the Maranello team will replace its lost client Toro Rosso with Marussia.

The other currently Ferrari-powered team is the financially embattled Sauber.

"Very soon we will make the announcements. We will supply engines to two (customer) teams," Domenicali said.

Photo: Ferrari

From GMM

F1 could be set to improve safety in the pitlane, after a cameraman was lucky to escape with his life in Sunday's German grand prix.

Red Bull has been fined EUR 30,000 for sending Mark Webber away from a pitstop with a loose rear wheel, which detached from the car and struck at high speed a British television cameraman for Bernie Ecclestone's company FOM.

The cameraman has broken bones and is still in a Koblenz hospital, but a FOM spokeswoman told Bild newspaper doctors do not believe he is injured internally.

The injured cameraman Paul Allen. (Photo: Williams F1 Team)

"The most important thing is he is fundamentally ok," said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

"But it was a timely reminder that life in the pitlane is still a pretty dangerous place to be, that things can go wrong. Mechanics have to wear safety gear and helmets, and maybe it's time some of the other operational people in the pitlane have some safety equipment as well," he added.

Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn agrees: "On the basis of what we have seen here, we should be thinking that all people in the pitlane are properly dressed, equipped and should have a helmet on."

From GMM

Peter Sauber has denied reports employees of his struggling Swiss team are going without pay.

It is reported that, because he has not been paid his contractual instalments for May or June, Nico Hulkenberg has terminated his 2013 deal and is therefore free to switch to another team at any moment.

"Basically, I won't talk about contracts," Sauber told Swiss television Sportpanorama.

"But I am convinced that Nico will be with us in the second half of the season."

The Sonntagszeitung newspaper claims sponsor Oerlikon, and perhaps some other Sauber sponsors, has provided "emergency relief" to the tune of a mid-six figure to the Hinwil based team.

"It is very difficult at the moment," team founder Peter Sauber admitted.

"Our resources are very limited and the situation is uncomfortable and embarrassing," he added.

But Sauber, 69, vehemently denied that his staff are not being paid their wages.

"In 20 years in formula one, we have never not paid wages on time," he insisted.

Photo: Sauber F1 Team

However, Sauber admitted that some suppliers of the team are being asked to wait for their invoices to be paid.

"It is affecting not only the development of the car, but also the suppliers," he said.

"For the large part, we are being met with understanding, but it is very stressful for us and in many regards painful," said Sauber.

He said he has "never" laid off staff "for financial reasons", and does not intend to start now.

"Once you start doing that, you hurt the team so much," said Sauber.

But Sauber said his team needs new sponsors urgently, or preferably an investor.

"We are very confident in this regard," he revealed. "If it runs smoothly, we can give the all-clear by the end of the month."

He also said a 'plan B' is in place.

"It is a good plan," said Sauber, "but time is the big problem -- we're running out of it.

"Mainly because we might not be able to drive if suppliers begin to stop supplying us."

Asked if Sauber's 2013 season is assured, he admitted: "In principle, no.

"But I feel safe. Currently we are working day to day."

The last resort will be simply selling the team.

"If there is no other way out," said Sauber, "that is a possibility. But we are far from that.

"Closure is not an option. The fire inside me is kindled by situations like this. There is nothing else to do than fight."

From GMM

Romain Grosjean may have rescued his formula one career on Sunday by returning to the podium at the Nurburgring.

Having failed to score a single point since his podium in Bahrain, the Frenchman was the subject of rumours Lotus might be preparing to replace him with Nico Hulkenberg.

Indeed, it is believed Hulkenberg has terminated his contract with the financially-troubled Sauber, with Bild newspaper saying the German has even had a Lotus seat fitting.

Frenchman Grosjean, however, said he never doubted himself.

Photo: Lotus F1 Team

"Not really," he told RMC on Sunday. "I just asked myself 'When are things going to turn?' I have always believed in myself. The numbers were not good but I knew that the work I was doing was positive."

27-year-old Grosjean therefore denied being upset after Lotus asked him to let teammate Kimi Raikkonen pass for second place on Sunday.

"As far as the strategies (go)," he said, "we didn't put our eggs in the same basket so I think it was the right thing to do."

It was a great weekend for the Ganassi squad as Scott Dixon led both his teammates across the finish line to make it the team's first-ever 1-2-3 sweep in the IndyCar Series at Pocono.

Dixon finished first ahead Charlie Kimball and veteran Dario Franchitti to earn his first win of the season. It was a hard race for Andretti Autosport, which were the favorites at Pocono, as its best placed driver was Marco Andretti with a 10th place finish.

Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon, Charlie Kimball. (Photo: IndyCar)

What is more astonishing, is that all three Ganassi drivers had to start from ther back of the grid and still managed to fight their way up to the front, thanks in part to their ability to do the extra mileage on a tank of fuel.

Penske's Will Power passed Simon Pagenaud late in the race to secure fourth while the Frenchman lost an additional position to Josef Newgarden just before the end.

Charlie Kimball. (Photo: IndyCar)

The Andretti team was plagued by all kind of trouble right from the start even though Marco Andretti led most of the race before struggling with fuel mileage over his final stint and drifted back to 10th.

Canadian James Hinchcliffe day's work ended-up early after his car looped up into the wall. Meanwhile, his teammate EJ Viso, suffering from mechanical issues had to retire for good back in the pits.

Current Indycar champion, Ryan Hunter-Reay had no better luck as he was punted from behind in the pits by Takuma Sato who badly misjudged his own entry.

Scott Dixon. (Photo: IndyCar)

Results - 160 laps:
Pos   Driver   Team/Engine  Time/Gap
1. Scott Dixon   Ganassi/Honda  2h04m26.4178s
2. Charlie Kimball  Ganassi/Honda  +0.4572s
3. Dario Franchitti  Ganassi/Honda  +1.1989s
4. Will Power   Penske/Chevy  +5.6320s
5. Josef Newgarden  Fisher/Honda  +7.1949s
6. Simon Pagenaud   Schmidt/Honda   +9.4074s
7. Justin Wilson  Coyne/Honda   +13.3012s
8. Helio Castroneves   Penske/Chevy  +13.9376s
9. Ed Carpenter  Carpenter/Chevy  +15.5500s
10. Marco Andretti   Andretti/Chevy  +18.4584s
11. Simona de Silvestro  KV/Chevy   +32.0478s
12. James Jakes  Rahal/Honda  +36.2536s
13. Tony Kanaan  KV/Chevy  +41.5507s
14. Ryan Briscoe  Panther/Chevy  +1 lap
15. Pippa Mann  Coyne/Honda  +1 lap
16. Sebastien Bourdais  Dragon/Chevy  +1 lap
17. Alex Tagliani  Herta/Honda  +2 laps
18. Graham Rahal  Rahal/Honda  +2 laps
19. Tristan Vautier  Schmidt/Honda  +2 laps

Retirements:
Ryan Hunter-Reay   Andretti/Chevy   121 laps
EJ Viso  Andretti/Chevy  104 laps
Takuma Sato  Foyt/Honda   61 laps
Sebastian Saavedra  Dragon/Chevy  2 laps
James Hinchcliffe  Andretti/Chevy   0 lap

From Hyundai Motorsport press release

Hyundai Motorsport Monday announced Finnish driver Juho Hänninen as one of the team's test drivers for 2013, ending weeks of speculation over the mystery man behind the wheel of the Hyundai i20 WRC in May.

Hyundai Motorsport has been building up its new operation from scratch since the start of the year, establishing the team at a dedicated facility in Alzenau, Germany and recruiting specialists at every level of its organisation.

Test drivers are an integral part of the team's development programme, requiring the necessary skills and experience to develop a competitive and reliable rally car in a short space of time.

Juho Hanninen. (Photo: Hyundai)

Six months ahead of the debut at Rallye Monte-Carlo in January 2014, Hyundai Motorsport is in the process of carrying out an intensive test programme to evaluate and develop the i20 WRC on all terrains and conditions.

Hänninen won the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2010 followed by the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship and the FIA European Rally Championship titles in 2011 and 2012 respectively. He will be a valuable asset for the team to prepare the assault to the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship.

Hyundai Motorsport will soon be in a position to announce a second test driver for the remainder of the 2013 test phase. 2014 drivers will be announced at the end of the year.

“We're very pleased to welcome Juho on board for our 2013 test programme," said Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal, Michel Nandan.

"I'm sure his experience and background will contribute to the project and I'm happy with the job he's done so far. We have decided to work with different drivers with unique skills and capabilities this year, which will provide us with valuable feedback for 2014”.

Besides being asked what car one should buy next, I'm also often asked which cars are the worst. Or which cars should be avoided? Which are the bad ones? The lemons, the bad seeds? In all honesty, there are no bad cars out there anymore.

Sure, circumstances would prove me wrong; first batch glitches, quality control problems, etc. However, when it comes down to labelling a car as downright horrible and bad, it just doesn't happen anymore.

How is that? Well, safety regulations and standards across the board have ensured all vehicles are made with a certain level of quality and with materials that make them all more than tolerable. Gone are the days when headrests and even seatbelts were a luxury. Cars by fault of build materials and standards nowadays “feel” more luxurious.

So, how what's the point in doing what I do? Reviewing cars, “testing” them as it were; why do I do that if they're all good anyways? Well, they may all be standardized but they still have their foibles and they still have their strong and weak points, their good and bad sides.

Here's the thing: There's a car out there for everyone, but not everyone will like the same car.

Just as I may like a certain model of house and the design elements it has, you may think it's the ugliest thing on the block. Sure it has doors, windows, plugs and a roof; but we'll each feel differently about it. We'll each find good and bad things about it and perhaps they won't be the same things.

That's where we testers come in. We're here to point out things you may not have considered or even thought about. We're here to look at vehicles from another point of view, and offer up not only an unbiased opinion, but one based on experience after driving hundreds (if not thousands) of vehicles. Standardized is one thing, finding those differences is quite another.

Forget manufacturer stereotypes you've heard over the years. Audis no longer catch fire (and neither do Kias). Hyundais are not made of plastic and VWs don't leave the dealer lot with their check-engine lights on already.

“Bad car” is a dirty term these days because it's not true. There are bad designs, bad colours, bad driver positions, bad cargo space, and even bad entertainment systems (we all know about those *cough*iDrive*cough*), but a bad car as a whole? Nope. Doesn't happen anymore.

Take solace in knowing that if you are in the market for a new vehicle, you're bound to get a good car. However, the tricky part comes down to choosing the right car, which is when you ask me that other all-important question I love to hate: Which car should I buy?

Toyota has now sold 3 million copies of the Prius globally since its debut in 1997. The popular hybrid took 16 years and 3 generations to reach that milestone.

Ever since the first Prius hit the road, the cost of its hybrid powertrain has been reduced by about two thirds, while CO2 emission levels have fallen from 114 to 89g/km.

Other Prius facts and figures:

• 790 billion yen ($8,271 billion) in hybrid technology R&D;
• 123,000 units of the first generation were sold around the world, compared with 1,688,000 for the current generation;
• While developing the latest Prius, Toyota filed more than 1,200 patents.

2012 Toyota Prius C (Photo: Sébastien D'Amours)

Growing up nicely
Budapest, Hungary - Europe: steeped in history from its modernized city streets to long, winding country roads where castle ruins sit in silent memory as the world passes by.

While I drove the brand new 2015 Audi A3 Sedan through the bustling streets of Budapest and through the rolling countryside lanes on it's outskirts, I was reminded of Audi's own rich history and how they've come to today and the latest iteration of their most important vehicle; the A3.

Truly, where you're from is almost as important as where you plan to go. Just as we are an amalgamation of our pasts, so too are vehicles a combination of all past iterations. The A3, now in its third generation, has come a long way while managing to stay as true to its form and self as possible. Does Audi have another winner? I think it's rather safe to say: Yes.


What is the Audi A3?
First, the Audi A3 is an extremely important model for Audi as it opened the door to the compact luxury car market for the brand in ‘96 when the A3 first launched. Currently, the A3 is one of Audi's most successful model ranges, and with good reason. Offering luxury, technology, and drivability, the Audi A3 is a premium choice for families looking for an affordable luxury German car.

First, the Audi A3 is an extremely important model for Audi as it opened the door to the compact luxury car market for the brand in ‘96 when the A3 first launched. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

2015 Audi A3 Specs
Of the many powertrains that will be offered, I'll focus on the one we're most likely to get: the 1.8L inline-4 TFSI coupled with the 6-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission. It is good for 180 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. No manual transmission option will be offered with the Quattro in North America. A 150 horsepower and 239 lb-ft of torque 2.0L TDI and an S3 with a 300 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque 2.0L TFSI are expected.

German pricing starts from €24,000. Canadian pricing should begin around $32,000. Official numbers will be announced closer to market launch.

Of the many powertrains that will be offered, I'll focus on the one we're most likely to get: the 1.8L inline-4 TFSI coupled with the 6-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

Driving the 2015 Audi A3 Sedan
As we traversed the winding country roads surrounding the city of Budapest, entering impossible-to-pronounce towns full of curious bystanders and rolling green hills as far as the eye could see, the 2015 Audi A3 kept us solidly on track and was a pleasure to drive.

After driving several different engine configurations, my two favourite were actually the 1.8 TFSI and the 1.6L TDI. The 1.8L TFSI coupled with the S-tronic ‘box was great fun to drive. With a quick-to-respond transmission and Audi's Drive Select system to dial up the sportiness in “Dynamic” mode, the 2015 Audi A3 offers a combination of relaxed cruising and on-the-spot driver pleasure. Steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters offer further control for those who want it.

As we traversed the winding country roads, rolling green hills as far as the eye could see, the 2015 Audi A3 kept us solidly on track and was a pleasure to drive. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

Inside and Out of the 2015 Audi A3
Despite being wider and longer than the previous-generation A3, this 2015 model is still 24cm shorter than the current-generation A4. The sedan is actually a few centimetres lower and shorter than the Sportback (hatch) version, which we will sadly not be seeing in North America for the 2015 model year.

More mature and overall more aggressive, the 2015 Audi A3 makes a serious statement on the road. Distinguishing the A3 from an A4 might be difficult at this point, but that's not a bad thing. Solid, stoic lines and a front end touched with LEDs and attitude, the 2015 Audi A3 Sedan is a looker.

Inside, the 2015 Audi A3 sports the kind of interior one comes to expect from a German automaker: efficient and to the point. Almost stark and bare, the A3 Sedan centre console is all business. The 7” monitor rises futuristically from the dash upon turning on the car, and is controlled via a large knob below the shift lever.

While much easier to use than Audi's previous onboard system, the MMI interface will still take some getting used to, and the placement of the main control knob (and subsequent volume and channel change knob) are a bit awkward and low down, requiring the driver to take their eyes off the road for use).

This is, of course, a compact luxury sedan, so don't expect gobs of legroom in the rear of the 2015 Audi A3 sedan. And while the seats are ridiculously comfortable and headroom is adequate, taller passengers will get a bit annoyed with the lack of space.

Inside, the 2015 Audi A3 sports the kind of interior one comes to expect from a German automaker: efficient and to the point. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

Comparing the 2015 Audi A3 Sedan
The model on everyone's lips throughout the drive was, of course, the brand new Mercedes-Benz CLA. Of course, there's also stiff competition in the BMW 3 Series and to a lesser degree the Volvo S60. It's a highly competitive segment and one Audi has been a solid player in since the A3 launched.

With this latest iteration, I think the A3 will continue to be a strong contender and offer North American's a luxurious family sedan option.

From GMM

Ending its slump will be a "very difficult" task for Williams.

That is the view of the great British team's last world champion, Jacques Villeneuve, who in Germany assessed Williams' current form on the occasion of its 600th grand prix.

Photo: Williams F1 Team

In total contrast to 1997, when Williams and French-Canadian Villeneuve were F1's dominant force, the 2013-spec FW35s failed to make it through even the initial 'Q1' qualifying segment on Saturday.

And that was after fire marshals had to be called into the Williams garage to contain a smoky and hazardous KERS battery failure.

Villeneuve, now a television pundit, told Spain's El Pais newspaper: "Williams has to reformulate.

"For many years, the manufacturers were in control, but when they left, the structure remained but not the money," the 42-year-old said at the Nurburgring.

"The sponsors had come because of the manufacturer, and so when they (the carmakers) go, they (the sponsors) go as well.

"That's why it's easy to get pay drivers rather than focus on whether they're fast enough, which ends up turning into a cycle that's very difficult to get out of," added Villeneuve.

Photo: Williams F1 Team

Meanwhile, the former Williams and Sauber driver said Mark Webber's departure at Red Bull at the end of the year is good news for the reigning world champion.

"Now everyone will work just for (Sebastian) Vettel, because Webber's leaving anyway," said Villeneuve. "So his decision to leave will make life easier for everyone."

And when asked what he would do if he was in charge of F1, the unabashed purist Villeneuve answered: "I'd get rid of the sole tyre supplier, everything artificial like KERS and DRS and the restrictions on the number of engines.

"Less rules, more pure racing -- like Nascar," he added.

Chrysler Canada has issued a few more recalls, the biggest one affecting 49,282 Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan and Ram Cargo Van vehicles from the 2013 model year.

Some of them may experience unintended airbag deployment in certain side impact collisions. The airbag on the opposite side of the collision could deploy and increase the risk of occupant injury. Dealers will therefore reprogram the Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) module with updated software.

Meanwhile, 105 Jeep Compass from 2014 may have incorrectly configured daytime running lights that make them less visible to other motorists and pedestrians during daylight hours, possibly resulting in a crash. In this case, dealers will modify the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) configuration settings.

There's also a problem with the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. On 216 units, the ring-shaped LED parking lights may inadvertently be disabled by the Central Body Controller (CBC), so dealers will reprogram the CBC with updated software.

Finally, the Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) module in 40 Town & Country and Grand Caravan minivans from 2013 was configured with incorrect software during the manufacturing process. As a result, the airbags may not deploy as intended during a crash (where deployment is warranted), which could increase the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant. Consequently, dealers will replace the ORC module.

Source: Transports Canada

From GMM

After the chaos of Silverstone and the subsequent boycott threats, there were no more exploding tires throughout the Nurburgring weekend.

But Pirelli is still a major point of discussion.

The Italian supplier reacted hurriedly to the British grand prix crisis by rushing into use the new kevlar-belted rear tire.

And in Hungary late this month, after the young drivers test at Silverstone, an all-new tire - the 2012 construction fitted with 2013 compounds - will debut.

Or will it? Sebastian Vettel suggested Pirelli might change its mind after the forthcoming Silverstone test.

"I think Pirelli will make up their mind then," he said. "So I think at this point we don't know which tires we are probably running in Hungary."

Photo: Pirelli

Lotus had initially blocked the introduction of the new kevlar tires on sporting grounds, but ultimately had a highly-competitive weekend at the Nurburgring.

"I think we'll have to ask Pirelli to keep this weekend's specification of tires for the rest of the season," said team boss Eric Boullier.

So it seems the latest argument about tires is kicking off.

Mercedes, for instance, have been pushing hard for the tire change, believing that the steel-belted construction was overheating more than the kevlar ones would.

But the German team struggled markedly on Sunday.

"A very strange, disappointing weekend after the highs from recent weeks," said Nico Rosberg.

Pole sitter Lewis Hamilton was even angrier.

"I have to hold myself back -- I have nothing positive to say about these tires," said the Briton. "If you can't get past a Sauber, you know you have issues, especially when you were over a second faster in qualifying."

Team director Toto Wolff told Germany's Sky: "It's kind of strange that, within one week, a winning car is now fifth or sixth.

"At least by not testing at Silverstone we have more time to think," he joked.

Like the now-struggling Mercedes, Red Bull had also pushed for the change, but Vettel duly raced to victory.

"Our compliments to Pirelli. They had a lot of criticism after the last race but it looked like they made up for it this race," said the championship leader.

Insisting he was speaking only on behalf of "safety", he said: "Whether it suits your car or not is secondary."

Photo: Pirelli

But that's an easy thing for a race winner to say. For a team like Ferrari - who like Lotus initially resisted the change - the jury is still out.

Asked if the change has affected the balance of power, team boss Stefano Domenicali admitted: "Of course, although I cannot say exactly to what extent," he is quoted by Russian website f1news.ru.

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko duly disagreed: "No, I would not say that.

"I think the situation overall is quite normal," he is quoted by Speed Week.

Pirelli's careworn Paul Hembery commented: "We have become a scapegoat for some of the problems in this sport this season.

"I think formula one should be a little more courteous to its tire manufacturers," he is quoted by Germany's RTL.

Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn said the European car market will probably shrink further in 2014 and 2015. He is preparing Renault for 'several years of market stability, at best.'

Toyota founding family scion and President Akio Toyoda has emerged from the bureaucratic shadows to present himself as the company's car-loving, fashion-forward salesman-in-chief.

Intense pressure from Lotus' Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean wasn't going to stop Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) from finally winning his home Grand Prix.

The German, born 200 kilometres from where the race was hosted this year, at the Nürburgring, had a cracking start from second, which allowed him to swiftly dispose of pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).

Vettel then enjoyed a clean run, until Räikkönen and Grosjean caught up that is, because his teammate Mark Webber, who had moved from third to second at the start, dropped down the order already at the first pit stops.

He was released from his box before the right rear wheel was properly attached.

The bouncing wheel rolled away and sent a cameraman to hospital with some broken bones, but seemed to avoid everyone else.

A clever strategy gave Lotus the edge in speed, but Vettel appeared simply too strong for either Raikkonen or Grosjean, who took turn fighting the world champion, to make a win out of it.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso salvaged fourth, having started eight on the grid. The Spaniard finished one place ahead of the ailing Hamilton, who still faired better than his poor teammate Nico Rosberg.

The recent British Grand Prix winner went up from a distant 11th on the grid to a lowly ninth.

Jules Bianchi (Marussia) beat Felipe Massa (Ferrari) and Jean-Éric Vergne (Toro Rosso) to the most spectacular retirement. The Frenchman went out in a cloud of smoke whereas Massa only spun out, and Vergne merely suffered a hydraulic failure.

Race results* - German Grand Prix (Nürburgring)
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 60 laps 1:41'14"711
2 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1"008
3 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 5"830
4 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 7”721
5 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 26"927
6 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 27"996
7 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 37"562
8 - Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 38"306
9 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 46"821
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 49"898
11 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 53"771
12 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 56"975
13 - Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 57"738
14 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'0"160
15 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'01"929
16 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1 lap
17 - Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1 lap
18 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1 lap
19 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1 lap

Fastest lap of the race: 1'33”468 by Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)

Retirements
lap 22 - Jean-Eric Vergne
Lap 21 - Jules Bianchi
Lap 3 - Felipe Massa

Drivers' championship
1. Vettel 157; 2. Alonso 123; 3. Raikkonen 116; 4.Hamilton 99; 5. Webber 93; 6. Rosberg 84; 7. Massa 57; 8. Grosjean 41; 9. Di Resta 36; 10. Button 33; 11. Sutil 23; 12. Perez 16; 13. Vergne 13; 14. Ricciardo 11; 15.Hulkenberg 7

*Unofficial results

Thomas McGregor Sunday scored a dominant victory at ICAR Circuit located north of Montreal in the second race of the weekend of the Formula Tour 1600 series.

McGregor led the pack under a blazing sun, but the Safety Car took to the track following an early race incident. Car No. 13 of Jean Lajoie broke a suspension and the car hit the guardrail.

The race restarted on lap 7 with McGregor leading Tristan DeGrand, Jack Mitchell Jr, Jessy Lazare and Michel Bonnet.

One lap later Lazare moved around Mitchell to take third place. Then, Lazare started to put pressure on DeGrand. He pushed him as hard as he could but never managed to be close enough to attempt a move.

The chequered was wave on lap 12, saluting McGregor's win.

DeGrand finished second ahead of Lazare.

Mitchell arrived home in fourth place in front of Michel Bonnet.

Former Formula 1600 series' champion, Didier Schraenen, finished the race in 8th place.

Neither of their two rivals could stop Muscle Milk Pickett Racing's Lucas Luhr and Klaus Graf from scoring their third consecutive victory of the season, at this weekend's Lime Rock Northeast Grand Prix.

Chris Dyson and Guy Smith put on a decent fight during the first hour of the race, at the wheel of their Dyson Racing Lola-Mazda, but their hopes of victory eventually faded as the duel turned into a one-horse race.

Luhr and Graf eventually brought their HPD ARX-03c home some six laps ahead of Smith and Dyson.

Third place of the P1 category went to Andy Meyrick and Katherine Legge, despite their DeltaWing abruptly losing water pressure, and retiring, on lap 102.

BMW won the GT race from Corvette, as pole-sitters John Edwards and Dirk Muller led Antonio Garcia and Kevin Magnussen by a mere nine tenths at the finish line. The win extended Muller's lead in the drivers' championship.

Ryan Briscoe and Scott Tucker finished first in P2, but race officials only rewarded them with third-place points for the way Briscoe overtook Guy Cosmo (Extreme Speed Motorsports) near the end of the race.

Second place Cosmo and co-driver Scott Sharp got the maximum 20 points for their performance.

Bruno Junqueira (RSR Racing) won in PC, whereas Spencer Pumpelly backed his GTC pole from Friday with the class win.


Race results - ALMS Northeast Grand Prix (Lime Rock)
1 - Graf/Luhr (HPD ARX-03c) - Pickett - 184 laps
2 - Dyson/Smith (Lola B12/60 Mazda) - Dyson - 178
3 - Tucker/Briscoe (HPD ARX-03b) - Level 5 - 178
4 - Sharp/Cosmo (HPD ARX-03b) - ExtremeSpeed - 178
5 - Junqueira/Ende (Oreca FLM09) - Rocketsports - 177
6 - Bennett/Braun (Oreca FLM09) - CORE - 177
7 - Tucker/Briscoe (HPD ARX-03b) - Level 5 - 176
8 - Nunez/Booth (Oreca FLM09) - Preformance Tech - 176
9 - Brown/Van Overbeek (HPD ARX-03b) - ExtremeSpeed - 176
10 - Marcelli/Cumming (Oreca FLM09) - BAR1 - 175
11 - Van der Zande/Schultis (Oreca FLM09) - CORE - 174
12 - Guasch/Cheng (Oreca FLM09) - PR1 - 172
13 - Mueller/Edwards (BMW Z4) - Rahal - 172
14 - Magnussen/Garcia (Corvette ZR1) - Corvette - 172
15 - Kimber-Smith/Long (Porsche 997) - CORE - 172
16 - Auberlen/Martin (BMW Z4) - Rahal - 171
17 - Bomarito/Wittmer (SRT Viper) - SRT - 171
18 - Gavin/Milner (Corvette ZR1) - Corvette - 171
19 - Drissi/Mitchell (Oreca FLM09) - BAR1 - 170
20 - Miller/Holzer (Porsche 997) - Miller - 169
21 - Henzler/Sellers (Porsche 997) - Falken - 169
22 - Sweedler/Bell (Ferrari GTS3 458) - Alex Job - 168
23 - Beretta/Malucelli (Ferrari GTS3 458) - Risi - 167
24 - Canache/Pumpelly (Porsche 997 Cup) - FlyingLizard - 164
25 - Hedlund/Heylen (Porsche 997 Cup) - JDX - 162
26 - Keating/Faulkner (Porsche 997 Cup) - TRG - 161
27 - Stanton/Ostella (Porsche 997 Cup) - TRG - 161
28 - MacNeil/Bleekemolen (Porsche 997 Cup) - Alex Job - 159
29 - Neiman/Von Moltke (Porsche 997 Cup) - FlyingLizard - 159
30 - Dempsey/Lally (Porsche 997 Cup) - Demsey/DelPiero - 158
31 - Cisneros/Armindo (Porsche 997 Cup) - NGT - 145
32 - Legge/Meyrick (DeltaWing) - Panoz - 102
33 - Goossens/Farnbacher (SRT Viper) - SRT - 25

Two-time NASCAR Canadian Tire series' champion, Andrew Ranger Sunday won the Jiffy Lube 100 presented by Snap-On at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel.

It was the series' first of three Quebec appearances this season, and a third visit to the road course set-up on the grounds of the Mirabel airport, located north of Montreal.

Andrew Ranger, the winner of last year's race at ICAR, captured pole position Saturday.  Ranger planted his No. 27 La Cite de Mirabel Dodge on pole position in front of Jeff Lapcevich, Scott Steckly, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin and rookie Alex Labbe.

At the drop of the green flag, Ranger jumped into the lead while Steckly powered into second place ahead of Lapcevich.  On lap 2, a full course caution bunched up the field again.

The race restarted on lap 7. Ranger again took command. JR Fitzpatrick, driving the No. 84 car, powered from sixth to third place behind Ranger and Steckly.

Jeff Lapcevich maintained fourth place in front of Dumoulin, Labbé and D.J. Kennington.

Ranger and Steckly ran together until lap 20 of the 30-lap race. In just three laps, Ranger managed to build a 4.3-second cushion over Steckly. Meanwhile, L.-P. Dumoulin passed Lapcevich and then Fitzpatrick to take third spot.

On lap 24, a full course yellow was displayed for Jason Hathaway, whose car suffered serious mechanical problems.

The race restarted on lap 26. Ranger pulled away from Steckly. Then, Dumoulin started to apply pressure on the driver of the No. 22 Canadian Tire car. On the penultimate lap, the pair ran side-by-side for a few corners but Steckly managed to stay ahead.

After 30 laps, Ranger crossed the line in first place, winning the race from Steckly, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin in the No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge, Fitzpatrick, Lapcevich, Kennington, Kerry Micks, Jean-Francois Dumoulin, Martin Roy and Alex Guenette.

Rookie Alex Labbe, who was sixth at the beginning of the last lap, crossed the line in 11th position.