Auto News 5

In order to showcase the robust quality and reliability of its vehicles, Mazda will send 8 all-new 2014 Mazda3 cars on a unique endurance trip from Hiroshima, Japan, to Frankfurt, Germany -- in time for the auto show that opens on September 10th.

All of these Mazda3s will be powered by a 118-horsepower SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine mated to a 6-speed SKYACTIV-MT manual transmission.

After taking a ferry across the Sea of Japan, the main overland portion of the adventure will begins in Vladivostok, with 3 legs separating the drivers from Krasnoyars. The 7 ensuing legs of the tour will take between 3-6 days each to cover.

Overall, the 2014 Mazda3 cars will cross 9 time zones, 5 countries, and 2 continents.

This will be the third time that Mazda models have taken part in such an extreme test drive. In 1977, German reporters drove Mazda 323 hatchbacks from Japan to Frankfurt. The expedition was followed up successfully in 1990, when 4 Mazda 626s crossed the former Soviet Union.

Photo: Mazda

From PMRA

Reigning series champion Eric Latino won his first race of the season in the Pro Modified Racing Association in an event held during the 14th Annual IHRA MOPAR Nitro Jam Nationals presented by Parts Canada held over the weekend at the Grand Bend Motorplex.

The win was the second in a row at the prestigious IHRA national event for the Team Green 1969 Chevy Camaro Pro Modified driver from Whitby, Ontario.

Latino, who qualified number two with a 6.103-second, 240.08-mph pass, bested three-time PMRA champion Bruce Boland of Stoney Creek, Ontario with his 1953 Corvette Pro Modified in the final round.

Latino eliminated Steve Legere of Trois Rivieres, Quebec and then Kenny Lang of Manitoba to advance to the final.

Meanwhile Boland, who qualified number four in the field (6.218, 230.92), eliminated Jack Grainy of Basom, New York and number one qualifier (6.080, 239.31) Rocky De Lecce of Mississauga, Ontario to meet up with Latino the final.

Other PMRA racers out in the first round included Sam Andreacchi of Toronto, Ontario and Tim Martin of Barrie, Ontario.

Presently leading the PMRA Championship Point Award Series is Di Lecce with 1357. Second is Grainy with 1194 points, and Boland is third with 1132. Derek Hawker of Corbyville, Ontario is fourth with 1113 points, and Paolo Giust of Osgoode, Ontario is fifth with 757 points.

This was the fifth of seven races on the 2013 PMRA schedule.

Next event for the Pro Modifieds is August 9-11 at the Stratford Spectacular Hot August Nationals presented by Ideal Supply & NAPA Auto Parts to be held at Grand Bend.

BMW Canada today announced that its first-ever all-electric production car will go on sale in the first half of 2014 starting at $44,950. The BMW i3 is scheduled to make its world debut next Monday at simultaneous events in New York, London, and Beijing, as well as online via YouTube.

BMW i3 products and services will be sold via a multi-channel sales model comprised of authorized BMW i partners, a Customer Interaction Center (CIC), as well as an online platform. Customers will be able to personalize their entire purchasing process to suit their needs.

Some markets will also introduce a mobile sales force, a sales team which will be available to customers outside the traditional showroom.

Moreover, BMW will provide the following services with the i3:

• Domestic charging station (''Wallbox'') installation;
• Partnerships with public charging providers ;
• DriveNow car sharing, which has over 130,000 members;
• ConnectedDrive apps and roadside services such as mobile recharging equipment

Photo: BMW

From GMM

Sergey Sirotkin's current boss, Igor Salaquarda, thinks the Russian teen's formula one opportunity has come way too early.

Sirotkin, not yet 18, is in line to make his grand prix debut next March with Sauber, as his father is linked to the Swiss team's new Russian partners.

But Speed Week reports that, amid the new F1-fueled fanfare surrounding Sirotkin as he raced in Austria at the weekend, his boss Salaquarda "shook his head".

"All this hype is not good for him," the owner of the Czech team ISR was quoted as saying at the Red Bull Ring.

"That's way too much pressure -- he's only 17! He is definitely too young (for F1)," Igor Salaquarda continued. "I don't mean that he can't do it physically -- anyone can drive a formula one car today. It's much harder to cope with the enormous pressure of the world championship."

Sergey Sirotkin. (Photo: Renault Sport)

Salaquarda compares Sirotkin with Daniel Ricciardo, the Australian who drove for ISR in 2011 before he made to the leap to formula one with HRT.

"Daniel came from British F3 and was then in the World Series for two years," he said. "But Sergey has only driven in Formula Abarth - a series I don't know - and Auto GP and Italian F3, but in both those series he had little serious competition. As such, he was fast. But if anyone is expecting him to win here right now, it's simply too much to ask. Already in the Eurocup 2.0 there is a great deal of competition, same as the (European) F3 championship, but Sergey skipped both those steps. He should spend more time in the 3.5 litre class to gain more experience."

Igor Salaquarda also questioned Sirotkin's approach to motor racing this year.

"Daniel (Ricciardo) was always alone at the tracks, spending the whole time with the team," he said.

"But Sergey comes with a whole entourage; sometimes it's hard for us to catch up with him. These guys should concentrate on working with the team," he insisted.

The auto industry is currently undergoing a monumental shift - definitely one of the biggest in its long and rich history which dates back to more than 100 years ago.

Up until the end of the 20th century, people didn't really bother with fuel economy given how cheap liquid gold was. Things have dramatically changed in the new millennium, with skyrocketing prices forcing budget-minded and environmentally conscious drivers to turn to more fuel-efficient alternatives.

Barely ten years ago, green cars were a pretty rare sight on the road; in 2013, consumers have a host of models to choose from in various segments: highly efficient gasoline engines, diesel engines, hybrids (including plug-in hybrids), extended-range electric vehicles, and 100% electric vehicles. Automakers have fully embraced this new trend, and continue to make sizable efforts to reduce your bills at the pump and our collective dependence on fossil fuels.

In this section you will find anything and everything about today's green vehicles. Enjoy!

	Green Car Reviews and Comparisons These reviews will help you understand the benefits, the joys, and the limitations of these all-new vehicles that are rapidly growing in popularity among Canadian drivers... Read more
	Green Car Previews The “Green Car Previews” section of the Auto123.com Green Car Guide contains a list of previews and reviews of most hybrid, all-electric, diesel, and highly... Read more
	All-Electric Cars 101 The "All-Electric Cars 101" section of the Auto123.com Green Car Guide is an introduction to the fascinating, yet confusing world of all-electric vehicles... Read more
	Green Car Buying Guide Fourty years ago, right after the second oil crisis, regular unleaded gas was selling for 12 cents per litre. At that price, a run-of-the-mill 6-cylinder-engined vehicle that burned... Read more

As they say, the show must go on.

For those who worried how the bankruptcy of Detroit would affect the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Executive Director Rod Alberts confirmed that the 2014 edition (January 13-26) will take place no matter what.

The Cobo Center is independent of the city, and is managed and operated by a regional authority, so no funding from the city is needed for Cobo. The NAIAS is also an independent organization and will not be impacted in its operation or funding.

Detroit's NAIAS each year brings more than $350 million in economic impact to the Southeastern Michigan region.

Photo: NAIAS

From GMM

Eddie Jordan has tipped Red Bull to pick Daniel Ricciardo as Sebastian Vettel's new teammate for 2014.

Lotus team boss Eric Boullier said as recently as last Friday that he is doing "everything we can" to convince Kimi Raikkonen to stay next season.

Eddie Jordan, a former F1 team owner turned broadcaster for British television, thinks the Finn will ultimately decide to turn down Red Bull's admitted strong interest.

"At first I was pretty sure that Raikkonen will replace Mark Webber," Jordan told Russia's f1news.ru.

"But now I'm ready to change my mind. Sebastian Vettel is staying until 2015 and so it's probably not the best time to become his teammate," he admitted.

"I think Red Bull will opt for Daniel Ricciardo. I don't think Raikkonen wants to get into an extensive programme at Red Bull, with all the marketing, the work with the sponsors, the photo shoots and so on. That's the sort of work that every driver for that team has to do. Red Bull has a marketing programme, but Kimi Raikkonen just wants to race. I doubt they will find common ground," added Jordan.

Kimi Raikkonen. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, however, thinks Raikkonen should snap up Red Bull's offer.

"In his situation," the former Williams and Toyota driver said, "I would go to Red Bull without hesitation -- not for a second.

"It's true that we don't know every detail, like what kind of agreement Sebastian Vettel has," the German is quoted by Finland MTV3 broadcaster.

"But if the team gives both drivers the same equipment, it would be a great opportunity for Kimi, because he's a great driver."

From Cornwall Motor Speedway

It was Ladies Night Sunday at Cornwall Motor Speedway as gorgeous weather greeted race teams and fans as a complete race program for all five divisions was on tap as Alexandria Home Hardware sponsored the evening.

Rookie contender Gabriel Richer took the early lead in the 30-lap Jiffy Auto Services Modified feature but Chris Raabe quickly passed him on lap 3. While Raabe pulled away, Richer faded to fifth as Tim O'Brien, Luke Whitteker and Kyle Dingwall were now in front of him.

A serious crash occurred in turn 3 on lap 9 as Laurent Ladouceur landed on his roof in turn 3 and sustained severe damage, Laurent was ok. Raabe ran away as the feature got back to green with Whitteker now running second and Brian McDonald now in third. Raabe was able to survive to other cautions to pick his first win of 2013 at Cornwall in front of Whitteker, McDonald, Dingwall and Kayle Robidoux rounded out the top 5.

In the 20-lap Alexandria Home Hardware Pro-Stock Feature race, Dave Seguin led the way as Charles-David Beauchamp was second. Beauchamp got to the lead on lap 2 as PJ Peters followed the leader in second. Beauchamp resisted to charges from Peters as 4 cautions slowed the feature race in the middle portion. Beauchamp survived a late charge from Peters to win his first feature in his career over Peters and Marc Lalonde.

Terry Ladouceur led the way in the 20-lap Tracy Wheeler Storm Realty Sportsman Feature as Mike Stacey and Billy Cook completed the top 3 after 4 laps.

After a caution, Ladouceur was the leader as Jessica Power was now in third. Power got the lead using the inside lane just before Bill Mullin and John Mills got together as the feature got to halfway point. While Power was in front, Joey Ladouceur and Chris Herbison were now in the top 3. Power leads the final circuit to win her first event in Cornwall over Ladouceur and Herbison.

The 15-lap Evans Bus Lines Semi-Pro Feature closed the evening as Adam Delormier grabbed the early lead. An early caution gave the opportunity to Derek Cryderman to grab the lead. Cryderman led the final portion to win his third feature in a row.

In the 12-lap Baxtrom YIG Mini-Stock feature, Elizabeth Gauthier landed on her roof in turn 1, she was ok. When the green flag was back out, Pierre Robidoux gained the lead but lost power giving the top spot to Mike Gaucher with Justin Desrosiers running closely. Gaucher was able to resist claiming his third feature in a row over Desrosiers and Dudes Thompson.

Do not miss next week as on the biggest shows of 2013 is finally here with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car series in town, with the fastest cars on DIRT! The best drivers in that category will be in Cornwall to compete for the coveted $10,000 to win!

From press release

Marco Sorensen (Lotus) produced another clean sweep at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday. The Dane took victory ahead of Nigel Melker (Tech 1 Racing) and his compatriot Kevin Magnussen (DAMS), penalised though his championship prospects were boosted by the retirement of Stoffel Vandoorne (Fortec Motorsports).

Nigel Melker was the fastest man in qualifying, but the Dutchman had his best lap deleted for blocking Kevin Magnussen. Marco Sorensen was duly promoted to pole position, with Melker alongside him on the front row. Championship leader Kevin Magnussen qualified in third, with his closest rival, Stoffel Vandoorne, joining him on the second row.

As the lights went out, Antonio Félix da Costa (Arden Caterham) remained glued to the grid. Marco Sorensen held his lead from the start, with Kevin Magnussen passing Nigel Melker after Stoffel Vandoorne had spun at turn one.

Marco Sorensen, Lotus. (Photo: Renault Sport)

When the pit window opened, the majority of the drivers used the opportunity to make their stops. Nigel Melker pitted on lap seven, with Marco Sorensen and Kevin Magnussen following two laps later. The race order remained unchanged, and Sorensen soon stretched his lead.

The Lotus driver, however, had his advantage wiped out on lap 22, after the safety car was introduced to remove Carlos Huertas' car from the track. The Carlin man's single-seater had stopped on the track following a spin.
Kevin Magnussen pushed hard after the restart, but Marco Sorensen held on to win the race. Nigel Melker finally recorded another second place after Kevin Magnusen got penalised after his first-lap off-track overtaking.

Fourth, Sergey Sirotkin was the best-placed rookie and gained six places thanks to a late pitstop. William Buller (Zeta Corse) came fifth, followed by Marlon Stockinger (Lotus), Nico Müller (International Draco Racing), Pietro Fantin (Arden Caterham) and Norman Nato (DAMS).

From Humberstone Speedway

Erick Rudolph from Ransomville, NY drove away from Mat Williamson to claim his second DIRTcar Modified main of the season on Boltworks Industrial Fasteners Night at the New Humberstone Speedway.

Paul Grigsby from Springville, NY claimed his second Peters Excavating UMP/DIRTcar Late Models feature of the season while Jason Fontaine from Port Colborne, Ontario claimed his third J.C. Auto Street Stock feature of the 2013 racing season.

Leroy Buscumb from Welland, Ontario, racing in a borrowed ride picked up his first Trackside Decals Mini Stock feature. Sam Iftody from Fenwick, Ontario claimed his seventh Frontier Auto Dismantlers Pure Stock feature event of 2013. Tim Zack from Dain City, Ontario made it two for two in the Vintage Cars.

Chad Chevalier and Erick Rudolph led the field of DIRTcar Modifieds to the green flag with Chevalier leading the way early. Williamson up to third by lap three and just two laps later, was taking over second place away from Chevalier.

Dale Planck started dead last on the grid after having problems at the border and was moving up through the field in his Page Trucking 7z for Mike Payne. Planck was inside the top ten until getting tangled up with Tommy Flannigan. Plank was unable to continue on.

On the restart it was Rudolph continuing to show the way with Williamson, Susice, Bowman and Chrysler running behind the third generation driver Rudolph. Erick Rudolph would pull away and pick up his second win of the season.

Mat Williamson, Ryan Susice, Mike Bowman and Randy Chrysler completed the top five.

Ken Winfield and Paul Grigsby led the field of Peters Excavating Late Models with Grigsby getting the lead. Rob Pietz passed Tim Gillespie for second place early one and the rookie in the division tried to reel in Grigsby. Jorden Peters was able to get around Pietz for second but couldn't reel in Grigsby as the Springville, NY pilot picked up his second win of the season in the Late Models.

Mike Greene and Ryan Turner led the field of J.C. Auto Street Stocks to the green flag for their 20 lap feature event and it was Ryan Turner taking over the lead on the opening circuit. Cory Turner, coming into the nights action in second place in points came to a stop on the front stretch with a trail of fluid underneath the 19 machine. On the restart, James Thompson, Jason Fontaine and Billy Hogue went three wide for the lead and Hogue got loose and lost several positions. James Thompson, Turner, Kevin Knapp and Jason Fontaine went three wide for several laps and the heated battle continued throughout the 20 lap affair. At the end, it was Fontaine pulling away and edging out Knapp and Thompson to pick up his third win of the season.

Leroy Buscumb in a borrowed ride and Nate Monahan were on the front row of the Trackside Decals Mini Stocks and it was Buscumb showing the way early on. Buscumb, Tyler Lafantaisie and Kyle Pelrine pulled away from the rest of the field. Evan Curtis broke away from the second pack to pick up the fourth spot.

After Nate Monahan and Brandon Iudiciani spun in one, Buscumb was able to keep the lead on the restart but Kyle Pelrine was able to sneak past Buscumb for the lead on lap 12. Buscumb was able to retake the lead coming off turn two and held off Pelrine to score the win.

Al Harju and qualifying event winner Rick St. Pierre led the Vintage Cars to the green flag and it was St. Pierre showing the way. Last Sunday's feature winner Tim Zack tried to reel in St. Pierre and coming off turn four on the final lap, Tim Zack drove around St Pierre to pick up the win. St Pierre was able to cross the line in second after St. Pierre having problems on the final lap.

Mason Smith and Brad Booker led the field of Frontier Auto Dismantlers Pure Stocks to the green flag for their feature event and it was Marcel Beauregard, starting in third taking the race lead on lap one. Sam Iftody was on the move and by lap five, racing in second place. Iftody and Kyle Tomaski were able to reel in Beauregard. Beauregard and Iftody came together coming to the white flag lap and Iftody was able to take the lead and held off Tomaski for the checkered flag.

The infamous DeltaWing race car ran the Mobil 1 Sportscar Grand Prix at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this past weekend in the capable hands of Katherine Legge and Andy Meyrick.

Saturday, it clocked a time of 1m10.256 in morning practice, good for second place overall and second spot in the P1 class. The team changed engines between practice and the afternoon sessions. The DeltaWing LM12 qualified with a time of 1m10.531, to start the race in third place overall.

The DeltaWing LM12 (Photo: René Fagnan)

Putting a five-second gap between himself and the third place P1 car, Andy Meyrick was looking forward to a solid race until a minor chassis failure caused the oil pump to fail on lap 16.

Compared to last year, it is now powered by an Elan Power 1.9-litre turbo gasoline engine that boasts 350 horses. The tires are now provided by Bridgestone.

A narrow Bridgestione front tire (Photos: René Fagnan)

The aerodynamic negative lift is generated by twin vortex underbody downforce system - BLAT (Boundary Layer Adhesion Technology).

The DeltaWing weight distribution is necessarily more rearward than traditionally seen with 72.5% of the mass between the wide track larger rear tires. Seventy-six per cent of the aerodynamic downforce acts on the rear of the car which has a lift to drag ratio of >5.0.

Generating so little drag allows the 590kg DeltaWing to reach a top speed of more than 300 km/h with an engine power of just 350bhp.

Photo: DeltaWing Race Cars

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE
Type: 4 cylinder 1.9-litre Elan Power (Direct Injection Gasoline Turbo)
Maximum Power Output: 350bhp at 6800 rpm
Maximum Torque Output: 270 lb/ft constant from 3500 to 6800 rpm
Cylinder Head: Mazda-Speed Direct injection.
Engine weight: 176 lb (80kg)
Exhaust system: 4 into 1 exhaust with external waste-gate

TRANSMISSION
Gearbox: 5-speed sequential
Clutch: 2 Plate Carbon-Carbon
Shift System: Pneumatic paddle shift

The front end of the monocoque, with the front suspensions and brakes. (Photos: René Fagnan)

CHASSIS
Chassis type: FIA homologated carbon fibre monocoque
Front suspension: Double-wishbone, unequal length, with coil over shock units to lower wishbones. 4130 heat-treated thin wall tubular steel welded construction
Rear suspension: Double-wishbone, unequal length, with pushrod/rocker actuation of coil over shock units. Motion ratio discrimination between heave and roll via fulcrum arm on rear anti roll bar axis
Fuel tank: 40 litres FIA-specification gasoline fuel cell
Brakes: Vented PFC Carbon/Carbon discs with 4-pot aluminium monoblock calipers
Brake bias: 40% torque bias front
Front brake size: 280mm diameter, 18mm thick
Rear brake size: 320mm diameter, 25mm thick
Front wheel size: 15" diameter, 4" wide
Rear wheel size: 15" diameter, 12.5" wide
Front tires: 4.0/23/R15 Bridgestone
Rear tires: 12.0/24.5/R15 Bridgestone

The impressive floor with the side vortex generators. (Photos: René Fagnan)

WEIGHTS & DIMENSIONS
Weight: 490kg without fuel or driver, 590kg with fuel and driver
Weight distribution (front/rear): 28/72
Overall Length: 4.65m
Front width: 0.76m
Rear width: 2.08m
Height: 1.03m
Wheelbase: 3.05m
Track width (front): 0.6m
Track width (rear): 1.74m
Minimum ground clearance (front/rear): 30mm/60mm

Rear end of the car showing the engine installation. (Photos: René Fagnan)

PERFORMANCE
Top speed: 195 mph (313 km/h)
0-60mph: 3.3 sec

A few weeks after Chevrolet launched an ad to promote its all-new 2014 Silverado pickup truck, here comes a different version specifically aimed at female customers.

Titled ''Her Horse,'' the clip shows how women can appreciate the many attributes of the Silverado as much as men.

This month's management briefing considers the latest developments in automotive interiors. In this instalment, we include questions to Harman about its new product for BMW, and take a look at global HVAC shares. Exclusive extracts are provided from our QUBE intelligence services.

A new Korean plant built by Toyota affiliate Denso, which will supply Hyundai and its sister enterprises, underscores a shift in the auto parts industry, from suppliers linked closely to one automaker to a handful of global giants that assemble...

Nissan plans to start selling more China-inspired cars around the world in a nod to the growing importance of China's auto market and the country's up-and-coming design talent. GM and VW are also using China as a springboard for global design.

In Canada, Lucas Luhr allowed Klaus Graf to qualify the No. 6 HPD ARX-03c they share. Graf rewarded his teammate with the fastest lap around the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park of Bowmanville, ON. Meanwhile, Jonathan Bomartio scored his first GT pole, at the wheel of the No. 93 SRT Viper GTS-R he shares with Canadian Kuno Wittmer.

Klaus Graf, HPD ARX-03c (Photo: René Fagnan)

Corvette Racing's Jan Magnussen (No. 3 Corvette C6 ZR1) and Bomarito's teammate Marc Goossens (No. 91 Viper) complete the GT top three.

Jonathan Bomarito, SRT Viper GTS-R (Photo: René Fagnan)

Standing in for the injured Ryan Briscoe, who hurt his wrist racing in IndyCar at Detroit, Mike Conway shot straight to the top of the P2 class in Level 5 Motorsports' No. 552 HPD ARX-03b.

In hist first ALMS appearance, he beat teammate Marino Franchitti (No. 551 HPD ARX 03b) and Extreme Speed Motorsport's Johannes van Overbeek (No. 02 HPD ARX 03b).

Mike Conway, HPD ARX-03b (Photo: René Fagnan)

Despite posting the fastest lap in PC, Colin Braun (CORE) will start second in class. An incident involving Mike Guash (PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports) cut his session short before it reached the minimum time requirement of 10 minutes. That meant officials had to sort out the grid based on championship standings.

Guash therefore got away with the pole despite his incident.

Jeroen Bleekemolen (Alex Job Racing) managed his third pole of the season in GTC.

Qualifying results - Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Bowmanville, ON)
1.Graf/Luhr (HPD ARX-03c) - Pickett - 1'05"871
2.Tucker/Conway (HPD ARX-03b) - Level 5 - 1'08"785
3.Tucker/Franchitti (HPD ARX-03b) - Level 5 - 1'09"031
4.Burgess/McMurry (Lola B12/60 Mazda) - Dyson - 1'09"564
5.Brown/Van Overbeek (HPD ARX-03b) - ExtremeSpeed - 1'09"740
6.Bennett/Braun (Oreca FLM09) - CORE - 1'10"303
7.Legge/Meyrick (DeltaWing) - Panoz - 1'10"531
8.Schultis/Van Der Zande (Oreca FLM09) - CORE - 1'10"706
9.Sharp/Cosmo (HPD ARX-03b) - ExtremeSpeed - 1'10"850
10.Junqueira/Ende (Oreca FLM09) - Rocketsports - 1'10"984
(...)

Corvette Racing's Tommy Milner was perfect in the dying minutes of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, formerly known as Mosport, to deny Viper its first win since coming back to the series.

Jonathan Bomarito started on pole aboard the No. 93 SRT GTS-R co-driven by Canadian Kuno Wittmer, but as the race unfolded, it was Dominik Farnbacher, in the No. 91 he shared with Marc Goossens, who was fighting for victory with the No. 3 Corvette C6 ZR1 of Milner and Oliver Gavin.

Despite his best efforts and the occasional helping backmarker, Farnbacher never found a way past Milner who, by denying Viper its first win since coming back to the series last year, gave Corvette its second win of the season, and its first since the opening round at Sebring.

Wittmer and Bomarito completed the podium.

The overall win went to Lucas Luhr and Klaus Graf (Muscle Milk Pickett Racing), who completed 132 laps of the Bowmanville circuit, without any real competition.

Scott Tucker and Marino Franchitti (Level 5 Motorsports) finished some four laps down on them, second in the overall standings and first in the P2 category.

Ed Bennett and Colin Braun (CORE autosport) won the Prototype Challenge, and Cooper MacNeil and Spencer Pumpelly (Alex Job Racing) the GT Challenge.

From GMM

Monisha Kaltenborn could be the big loser of Sauber's Russian rescue deal.

Sonntagszeitung newspaper reports that the ailing Swiss team's new partners, all linked to the Russian Federation, are planning to inject a staggering $500 million into Hinwil.

According to Schweiz am Sonntag newspaper, that will pay off the team's crippling $110 million debts and lay the foundation for a sound future, with Russian teen Sergey Sirotkin scheduled to be at the wheel in 2014.

But Blick newspaper reports that Sauber's new Russian money will not start flowing until at least the end of August.

And the Swiss report said Sauber's current ownership structure will not be changed in the short term, and nor will the Hinwil headquarters or the famous name.

But a group of Russian engineers are set to start work, and the new major investors may also wield their power in another way.

"Team boss Monisha Kaltenborn's time seems over," read the report in Blick newspaper.  "When and by whom she will be replaced remains open."

Sonntagszeitung newspaper said founder and majority team owner Peter Sauber is pushing for a Swiss solution, such as Franke CEO Michael Pieper, Phonak's Andy Rihs, or Denner's Philippe Gaydoul.

From press release

Marco Sorensen claimed his first pole position in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, before driving to an impressive victory on Saturday at the Red Bull Ring.

The Dane finished ahead of Nigel Melker (Tech 1 Racing) and Kevin Magnussen (DAMS), with the latter regaining the championship lead following the retirement of Stoffel Vandoorne (Fortec Motorsports).

Marco Sorensen (Lotus) took his maiden FR 3.5 Series pole on Saturday morning, qualifying ahead of fellow Dane Kevin Magnussen (DAMS) and Nigel Melker (Tech 1 Racing). The trio lined up on the grid ahead of Will Stevens (P1 by Strakka Racing) and Arthur Pic (AV Formula).

Photo: Marco Sorensen/Facebook

In an eventful start to the race, Nigel Melker slipped through into second to wedge himself between race leader Marco Sorensen and third-placed Kevin Magnussen. A chaotic first lap saw Stoffel Vandoorne fall back to 12th, while Pietro Fantin (Arden Caterham), Mikhail Aleshin (Tech 1 Racing) and Nikolay Martsenko (Pons Racing) all had to retire.

The safety car was introduced on lap 10 to allow Riccardo Agostini's car to be removed. The Zeta Corse man had spun and stopped on track during an attempt to overtake Matias Laine (P1 by Strakka Racing).

The safety car was called into action again a short time later after contact between Norman Nato (DAMS) and Sergey Sirotkin (ISR). Stoffel Vandoone, meanwhile, returned to the pits and subsequently retired from the race.

Unruffled by events around him, Marco Sorensen eventually took victory ahead of Nigel Melker and Kevin Magnussen. Will Stevens finished fourth, followed by Arthur Pic and best-placed rookie William Buller (Zeta Corse). Buller finished sixth after overtaking Antonio Félix da Costa (Arden Caterham), seventh, in the closing laps.

Marlon Stockinger (Lotus) and André Negrão (International Draco Racing) followed, with Jazeman Jaafar (Carlin) also finishing in the points after fighting his way from the very back of the grid.

From Press release

Mathias Beche and Pierre Thiriet at the wheel of Thiriet by TDS Racing ORECA03 finished the third round of 2013 ELMS season on the first step of the general podium at Red Bull Ring in Austria, ahead of n°36 Signatech Alpine of Pierre Ragues and Nelson Panciatici.

Natacha Gachnang and Franck Mailleux driving n°43 Morgan Judd of Morand Racing climbed onto the third step of the podium.  The overall podium was a carbon copy of the top three finish at round 2 held at Imola in May.

Photo: TDS Racing

In the LMPC Category Gary Hirsch and Paul Loup Chatin win for the second time of the season at the wheel of Team Endurance Challenge FLM09 n°49, ahead of teammates Alex Loan and Nico Verdonck in the n°47 FLM09.Algarve Pro Racing FLM09 n°46 claimed third place in the class on the series debut.

In the LMGTE category, Ram Racing sandwiched the n°66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari F458 Italia of Andrea Bertolini and Joel Camathias, with Johnny Mowlem and Matt Griffin in n°52 on the first place, and n°53 Ferrari of Gunnar Jeannette and Frank Montecalvo, third.

SMP Racing Ferrari F458 GT3 claims victory for the second consecutive time after Imola, with Imola race victors Fabio Babini, Viktor Shaitar and Kirill Ladygin winning in the n°69 car. N°62 AF Corse Ferrari driven by Andrea Rizzoli, Stefano Gai and Lorenzo Casé finished second, while the only BMW Z4 of Ecurie Ecosse (Ollie Millroy, Andrew Smith and Alasdair McCaigh) finishes third of the class.