Auto News 5

Six months in and sentiments have cooled somewhat on our long-term Dodge Dart.

Six months in and sentiments have cooled somewhat on our long-term Dodge Dart.

Six months in and sentiments have cooled somewhat on our long-term Dodge Dart.

BMW, Audi and Mercedes are gaining market share in Europe at the expense of mass-market rivals as they push into making smaller cars.

BMW, Audi and Mercedes are gaining market share in Europe at the expense of mass-market rivals as they push into making smaller cars.

German premium automakers BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz are gaining market share in Europe at the expense of mass-market rivals as they push into making smaller cars.

BMW, Audi and Mercedes are gaining market share in Europe at the expense of mass-market rivals as they push into making smaller cars.

German partsmaker Dr. Schneider Automotive Systems will invest $29 million (about 22 million euros) to open its second factory in the United States.

A new compact car platform under discussion between Daimler and Renault-Nissan could be used for non-premium cars sold by Renault and Nissan.

Tesla is working to produce a car capable of running on "auto-pilot" within the next three years, CEO Elon Musk said, joining Google and rival carmakers in the race to roll out a driverless car.

German partsmaker Dr. Schneider Automotive Systems will invest $29 million (about 22 million euros) to open its second factory in the United States.

A new compact car platform under discussion between Daimler and Renault-Nissan could be used for non-premium cars sold by Renault and Nissan.

Tesla Motors is working to produce a car capable of running on "auto-pilot" within the next three years, CEO Elon Musk said, joining Google and rival carmakers in the race to roll a driverless car into the market.

Tesla is working to produce a car capable of running on "auto-pilot" within the next three years, CEO Elon Musk said, joining Google and rival carmakers in the race to roll out a driverless car.

A new compact car platform under discussion between Daimler and Renault-Nissan could be used for non-premium cars sold by Renault and Nissan.

German partsmaker Dr. Schneider Automotive Systems will invest $29 million (about 22 million euros) to open its second factory in the United States.

From GMM

Jacques Villeneuve has joined those who rail against the increasing power wielded by so-called 'pay drivers' in formula one.

Drivers with sponsorship and lucrative connections have always been a part of the sport, but with F1's rising costs and the struggling economy, only in the past few years has it begun to truly lock out promising talent.

"If even McLaren is going down this path, it's bad," 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, obviously referring to the billionaire Carlos Slim-backed Sergio Perez, told the German newspaper Bild.

Sergio Perez. (Photo: McLaren F1 Team)

This week, Mark Webber - also a 'purist' like Villeneuve - hailed those new talents who are managing to shine in F1 despite the new 'pay driver' era.

Webber mentioned Williams' Valtteri Bottas, but Villeneuve has a different view of the Finn.

"It's terrible when I hear how happy they are with their driver Bottas," he said.

"Sorry, but finishing between 11th and 16th places is not doing a great job. They're saying it only not to upset the sponsor that he's bringing. The teams are killing, more and more, the image of formula one that it once had," Villeneuve insisted.

In fact, the former Williams and BAR driver thinks the sport has already lost its way.

"It was once full of heroes, on the border of the possible, always extreme, technology and engineering on the limit, but always a logic to it. Formula one has gone the other way -- a fortune is still spent, but without logic," he said.

"Five engines per season, only one tire maker, all the restrictions and the driver devices, the 'green' direction -- maybe this is Le Mans, but it's not formula one," Villeneuve said.

He said he would prefer if those who cannot really afford F1 simply disappear, leaving five or six healthy top teams, each fielding three or four cars.

"Yes, absolutely, great," said the 42-year-old. "Why not three Force India cars and on each car a different sponsor?"

Told that F1 would then be going down the Indycar or Nascar route, Jacques Villeneuve answered: "Everything that comes from America doesn't have to be bad. It would be easier to find sponsors because it would be less expensive for them. And there would be no more team orders, because every sponsor would want their car to win.

"The cars would also be closer together, the gap between the front and the gap not so big, so the racing for the fans would be great," he added.

From GMM

Jacques Villeneuve has blasted Ferrari's decision to sign Kimi Raikkonen for 2014, but a former Ferrari driver looks forward the rivalry.

Prior to his slump in form and Ferrari's decision to push him into sabbatical at the end of 2009, the Finn won the Italian team's last world title in 2007.

But 1997 world champion Villeneuve thinks bringing the now 33-year-old Raikkonen back to Ferrari in Felipe Massa's wake is not smart.

"Ferrari are completely insane," the always outspoken French Canadian told the German newspaper Bild.

"He can drive a car fast, but he can't work with the engineers, he can't develop the car, he won't go to sponsor appointments," Villeneuve said.

Villeneuve is not the only one questioning Ferrari's choice, particularly with the fiery Latin temperament of the current 'number 1' Fernando Alonso on the other side of the garage.

Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen. (Photo: WRi2)

"If Kimi starts outqualifying Fernando that would be a big one," McLaren's Jenson Button said this week, "because Fernando is not the quickest guy but as a package he's exceptional.

"It's fun for us watching from the outside, but does it make the team stronger? I personally don't think it does," the 2009 world champion added.

Former Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux agrees with those who think Alonso plus Raikkonen equals trouble.

"It will last 3 or 4 races," said the Frenchman, when pondering the 'peace' at Maranello at the very beginning of 2014.

"As far as character, I see Alonso's as the weaker," he told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Remember him with Hamilton at McLaren? The peace was short lived, and while I am the first to hope I am wrong, for winning the constructors' title you need two very strong drivers and characters. But, of these two, one is angry and one doesn't care. Every Sunday there is the possibility that it explodes. Yes, as a neutral spectator, I like Ferrari's choice," he smiled.

René Arnoux in Monza, last weekend. (Photo: WRi2)

René Arnoux, now 65, thinks it is possible Raikkonen will get the upper hand.

"He seems to be more mature these days. Sure, his character is still the same, but since he was at Lotus he seems more consistent. (Romain) Grosjean is still a mid-level driver and so it seems that Lotus has relied almost exclusively on Kimi," he added.

On the other hand, Arnoux questions whether Alonso can cope with being paired with a driver of Raikkonen's calibre.

"Definitely he has a bad temper, but this can also be a quality when it is used in battle," he said.

"But not when it is used within the team, creating difficulties and divisions. Frankly, I want to see if Alonso is really up to what people say about him. In Barcelona he did an amazing race, a masterpiece, but then for a few races he did nothing," added Arnoux.

Something else that might spark Alonso's fire is the extra workload that having Raikkonen alongside him might create.

The Finn is notorious for hating PR, media and sponsor work, and negotiating contracts that minimize his off-track commitments.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said this week: "I hope his (Raikkonen's) public relations will consist of wins, as well as a contribution to the team and a diligent presence in Maranello.

"Alonso cannot take all the work on his shoulders alone," he insisted.

The experienced photographers of WRI2 agency travel the globe to cover the Formula 1 Grands Prix. Here are the photos of the top 5 gorgeous girls they've seen in the paddock so far this season.

Enjoy!

5th place

Photo: WRi2

4th place

Photo: WRi2

3rd place

Dasha Kapustina. (Photo: WRI2)

2nd place

Photo: WRi2

1st PLACE

Photo: WRi2

From GMM

Once strongly linked with a move to Ferrari, Mark Webber will enter F1 retirement having faced a parting shot from Luca di Montezemolo.

Referring to Ferrari's battle against Red Bull for 2013 honours, Montezemolo told La Gazzetta dello Sport this week: "We should bear in mind that there's only one Red Bull getting the results."

Indeed, while running teammate Sebastian Vettel close for the championship in 2010, and winning races in 2011 and 2012, this year Australian Webber has played a minor role alongside the triple world champion.

"In the last few years in F1 I knew the desire and passion was starting to wane a little bit and it's not a sport you should be competing in if you're not giving it 100 per cent," the 37-year-old told the Daily Mail.

Webber, now 37, started his grand prix career more than a decade ago at Minardi, working his way up to the top of the grid via Jaguar and Williams.

Along the way, he admits he made one crucial mistake -- choosing Williams in 2005 instead of becoming Fernando Alonso's teammate in what turned out to be the title-winning Renault.

"I turned it down unfortunately, that's the way it goes," said Webber. "It wasn't the best decision in the end."

Mark Webber, winner with Red Bull. (Photo: WRi2)

He insists he could have kept going in F1 in 2014 if he wanted to, but thinks moving to Le Mans with Porsche might be a better choice than staying for the radical turbo V6 rules in the new Pirelli-tire era.

"There were still F1 teams sniffing around - and there still are now - but my decision has already been made and I'm happy with it and I look forward to the future," said Webber.

"Endurance racing is easily as close to the cars in F1. They are very, very quick if not on par with F1 in certain situations," he insisted.

Webber said F1 today doesn't compare to the era of V10 engines and the tyie war between Bridgestone and Michelin.

"They're difficult to drive now - don't get me wrong - but there was a huge amount of power, a huge amount of grip and it was very difficult to handle and control. Now it's very much more about controlling the pace during the race and making sure you get the cars and the tires more importantly to the end of the race," he said.

Mark Webber is passing on the torch to his younger countryman Daniel Ricciardo, who will now face the same challenge -- matching up to Vettel.

Webber and Vettel never got along, but after the recent Italian grand prix, the Australian admitted he was uncomfortable with the booing on the podium.

"It's the public's choice, it's up to them how they view what he (Vettel) is doing," said Webber.

"But Usain Bolt and Roger Federer aren't getting booed much," he added.

Some think Red Bull opted for Ricciardo for 2014 because his smiling nature will be easier for Vettel to handle.

"Ricciardo will be fine," Webber insists. "He'll win races and he'll do very well but he needs to get under Seb's collar pretty early to make it a good battle."