From GMM
Kimi Raikkonen's mother says her son is once again enjoying formula one, after his rallying sabattical in 2010 and 2011.
The famous Finn burst back into F1 with Lotus last year, earning legions of new fans who enjoy his unique personality, and finishing a surprise third in the world championship.
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| Kimi Räikkönen, Lotus E21. (Photo: WRi2) |
Raikkonen's mother, Paula, said she was surprised late in 2011 when she read rumours her 33-year-old son was thinking about returning to F1.
I had heard rumours of his talks with Williams, so I asked him about it," she is quoted by the Finnish broadcaster
MTV3.
"He said he would prefer to go to Lotus, because it was a better option for him. It was a surprise," she said.
"His friends had told me that he stopped formula one because he was tired (of it), and then suddenly he went back. I think the little break was a good thing, because now he seems to be enjoying the racing again," she added.
After making its Canadian debut at the MIAS in January, the all-new
2014 Subaru Forester is now arriving at dealerships nationwide with a base MSRP of $25,995 for 2.5i models, and $32,495 for 2.0XT models.
The roomier interior of the 2014 Subaru Forester creates a longer distance between the front occupants and the instrument panel. In the back, the 25-millimetre longer wheelbase results in extra legroom.
Once again, 2.5i models use a 170-horsepower, 2.5L boxer engine that achieves 6.2L/100km on the highway according to Subaru. Meanwhile, 2.0XT models get a 250-horsepower, 2.0L turbocharged variant (same engine as the BRZ sports coupe).
Other notable features inside the 2014 Subaru Forester include a standard tilt/telescoping steering column, 2,115 litres of cargo room (with the rear seats down), and more comfortable front buckets.
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| Photo: Subaru |
Minivan production at the Chrysler assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario, has been reduced to three 4-hour shifts this week.
Chrysler spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said normal production will return on March 18th. Apparently, the slowdown was intended "to align production with market demand."
As of March 1st, Chrysler had unsold inventory of 24,713
Chrysler Town & Countrys (a 69-day supply) and 18,547
Dodge Grand Caravans (a 43-day supply), according to Automotive News.
Combined sales of both minivans were down 15% through the first two months of 2013.
Source: Automotive News
Stefan Wilson, younger brother of Justin, will be testing for Dale Coyne Racing in day 2 of the official IZOD IndyCar's pre-season test at Barber Motorsports Park on Wednesday.
Veteran IndyCar driver and former Formula 1 driver Justin Wilson is 11 years older than his brother and if the two were to become teammates it would be a first.
According to reports, Stefan, who finished third in the ranking of the Indy Lights Series in 2011, has secured enough sponsorship to run a partial calendar in 2013.
Former Dreyer & Reinbold and Andretti Autosport driver Ana Beatriz will take the second Coyne car on day one on Tuesday. Justin Wilson will run both days.
From GMM
Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne need to really shine if they are to be promoted by Red Bull.
That is the claim of Jacques Villeneuve, the outspoken 1997 world champion turned television pundit.
Youngsters Ricciardo and Vergne have been given a second full season each at Red Bull's junior team Toro Rosso, but Villeneuve thinks they face a tough task to prove they should be slotted in for 2014 alongside Sebastian Vettel.
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| Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso STR8. (Photo: WRi2) |
"They would need at least a podium," the 41-year-old French Canadian is quoted by
RMC Sport.
"Vettel got there because he won a race with Toro Rosso. Many young drivers have been there (Toro Rosso) and most of them did nothing. Vergne needs to show that he is able to stand out; to be like Alonso or Vettel. Being a Webber is not enough," added Villeneuve.
From press release
Known by motorsport enthusiasts for its numerous karting races, Montreal's Kart-O-Mania complex is organizing a new and exclusive event on March 29th at 6pm to benefit the Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation.
Tickets for this Grand Prix karting race will be sold for $60 each with all profits going to the Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation.
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| (Photo: Phlippe Champoux) |
This special activity is the brainchild of Kart-O-Mania owners in an effort to lend their support to Gabriel, who was diagnosed with Infantile Spasms, a rare form of epilepsy, at the young age of 5 months.
Gabriel was fortunate enough to be diagnosed and immediately treated thanks to the Neurology Department at the Sainte-Justine UHC. He is now 16 months old and has made tremendous progress over the past year. Gabriel's weekly physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions have helped him reach some of his inch-stones. He has a long road ahead of him but Gabriel is a fighter and will battle so he can live a normal and healthy life.
Thanks to public donations, the Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation is able to help kids like Gabriel right where is counts : in the hospital. The funds raised at the Kart-O-Mania event will go directly to the Neurology Department at the Sainte-Justine UHC.
Ticket price includes a thirty-minute Grand Prix karting race, canapés by caterers Buona Notte Traiteur, and door prizes contributed by Uggs, Créations Paul H, Santa Maria Foods, and David's Tea.
The public is invited to this special event on March 29th, at 6pm, at the Kart-O-Mania complex, located at 5196 de la Savane Street (corner of Décarie) in Montreal.
Caterham F1 Team has provided the motorsport medias with some very interesting technical information about running a Formula 1 car on the street circuit of Albert Park, home of the maiden Grand Prix of the season in Australia.
Here below is the track map with the turn numbers, and for some of them the gear selected, speed and lateral g forces.
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| Image: Caterham F1 Team/Renault Sport F1 |
Here below is an example of a complete lap of the Caterham F1 car around the 5.303km circuit of Albert Park. The graph has been provided by Renault Sport F1. This is exactly what the Renault engineers are watching all the time when the car is out on the race track. The data is provided live by the telemetry system of the car.
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| Image: Caterham F1 Team/Renault Sport F1 |
Red line: Engine speed (note the slight drop in RPMs during the gear changes. Lowest RPM is 10,000)
Black line: Speed of the car in kph (fastest speed is 330 kph, slowest speed is 80)
Green line: Lateral g's (ranging from +4 g's to -4)
Pink line: Gear selected
Yellow line: Percentage of throttle (0 being off the throttle, and 100% being throttle fully open)
Orange line: Pressure on the brake pedal
From GMM
Despite vowing never to race on two wheels again, former Formula World Champîon Michael Schumacher is back on the saddle of a powerful racing motorcycle.
German reports say the newly re-retired seven time world champion tried to keep his test outing this week at the Valencia circuit strictly secret.
But
DPA news agency, and other news outlets, say Schumacher was definitely at full speed on a 220 horse power Honda, with the Holzhauer team.
In 2009 - during his first retirement from F1 - Schumacher was seriously injured when he crashed a similar bike.
It prevented him from filling in for Felipe Massa following the Brazilian's Hungaroring qualifying crash, and Schumacher vowed never to return to full speed on two wheels again.
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| Michael Schumacher. (Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team) |
His manager Sabine Kehm says now: "Yes, he rides motorcycles again but he will not race anymore."
Speed Week claims Schumacher's best test lap at Valencia was only 4 seconds slower than the very best motorcycle racers in action on the same day.
Schumacher has revealed he will be watching this weekend's F1 season opener from the comfort of his lounge.
"I'm obviously still closely connected to the Mercedes team," he told his website this week, "but not in a specific role and not at the track."
Cadillac is considering naming a longtime General Motors partner, Campbell Ewald, to become its new advertising agency of record in a deal that could be worth about $244 million in media billings annually, sources have told Crain's Detroit...
The U.S. Treasury, which is exiting its ownership stake in GM, accelerated its sell-down of the automaker in February, saying it received $489.9 million in proceeds from the sale of common shares.
Professional driver Tanner Foust is known for his technical driving skills, spanning from drifting to rally to stunt driving.
Nexteer Automotive, the one-time GM and Delphi steering operation controlled by China's biggest aerospace company, may seek as much as $500 million in an initial public offering in Hong Kong, two people with knowledge of the matter told...
Also in this episode: Elon Musk rebuts NYT Tesla review, new Range Rover heads to New York auto show.
Chrysler Group has slowed production at its minivan plant in Windsor, Ontario, this week.
Five dealers who claim they were defrauded by Mahindra and Mahindra have won their first small legal victory in federal court against the Indian automaker -- the right to be heard.
The Saratoga Automobile Museum in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. will feature a retrospective of BMW cars and motorcycles.
On a 10-question, multiple-choice test asking respondents to choose correct definitions for basic auto insurance terms, the average score was 32 percent out of a possible 100 percent, according to insurance.com.
The Geneva motor show is one of the most decadent in the world. It's synonymous with supercars -- the most exotic and rarest from all comers.
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