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Reigning vice-champion Gary Paffett believes Audi will enjoy a much better time in 2013 than it did in 2012.

Audi actually finished second in the 2012 manufacturers' championship, but no team or driver representing Ingolstadt was never really in contention for the top honours.

The best-placed Audi driver was Mike Rockenfeller, and he only finished fourth in the standings, some 64 points behind champion Bruno Spengler.

It was not the best year for the four rings.

Audi is ready to bounce back (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

Paffett, a Mercedes driver who fell only a few meters short from the 2012 crown, believes Audi is on its way up.

"I imagine that Audi will be a lot stronger this season," he told The Checkered Flag. "They had a couple of good races last year, but were too inconsistent.

"They aren't stupid, and will have sorted out their problems, to ensure that they come back fighting.

"I expect 2013 to be a really close year."

Model: 2010 to 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Vehicle Type: Sport Coupe

The Verdict: The used Hyundai Genesis Coupe, so far, appears to be a safe buy in a used sports coupe that's suffering from only minimal issues that are easily identified and remedied. Shop for as new a model as possible, with factory warranty remaining, for maximum confidence.

Price: An early Coupe with the 2.0T engine and some miles can be had for as little as $12,000. Pricing for a unit carrying moderate mileage will land around $15,000 to $17,000. A newer model with the 3.8L engine should run in the mid-$20,000 range.


What Owners Like: Handling, style, and overall performance are rated highly by Hyundai Genesis Coupe owners with this generation of vehicle, while affordable access to a lengthy features list and plenty of horsepower helped seal the deal. Despite its two-door configuration, this sports car is also surprisingly roomy in terms of front seat space, even for full-sized adults.

What Owners Dislike: Common gripes include limited rear visibility, poor gas mileage with the V6 engine, and the wish for some richer interior materials. Models with the 2.0T engine are said to have a dull, boring exhaust note, and some drivers wish for a tighter, more precise-feeling shifter.

Photo: Justin Pritchard

History/Description: The Hyundai Genesis Coupe launched for the 2010 model year and recalled great Japanese rear-drive sports cars from the ‘90s -- even though it's Korean. Sleek styling, affordable driveability, and real performance-car moves all helped put Hyundai on the performance car map.

All models were rear-wheel drive and had a 6-speed transmission in the driver's choice of automatic or manual. Engine options were a 2.0L turbo 4-cylinder with 210 horsepower, or the snort-y 3.8L, 306-horsepower V6 that powered models wearing the 3.8GT designation.

Feature content included push-button start, navigation, available Brembo brakes, a Limited Slip Differential (LSD), and an Infinity audio system.

Photo: Justin Pritchard

Common Issues: A scan of owner forums and discussion boards indicates that shoppers after a used Hyundai Genesis Coupe have a few minor checks to make before signing over their hard-earned cash.

First, check for proper operation of the air conditioner, all windows, all power seats, and all remote keyfobs. Have a good walk-around of the body, and make sure to inspect for misaligned panels, particularly where the hood and fenders meet.

At speed, listen for any rattles and squeaks from the sunroof, interior panels or seats, and check for the presence of all interior panels and trim bits. Many owners reported that tightening up a few of the bolts -- particularly the ones that hold the seats to the floor -- will stop rattle-related issues.

Note that the push-button start system should fire the engine up the instant it's pressed. Any delay or sporadic operation could indicate a problem with the button or ignition switch attached to it.

Bear in mind that clunking or grinding noises from the suspension or steering typically indicate a problem. Be sure there are no check-engine lights, no grinding sensations during gear shifting, and that there's no smoke coming from the tailpipe during hot or cold idle -- or during hard acceleration.

Photo: Justin Pritchard

Many Hyundai Genesis Coupes in the used market will have performance upgrades installed, and simple intake and exhaust upgrades are generally safe. Extreme caution should be exercised if the former owner has set the engine up to run more boost from the turbocharger, modified the engine electronics, installed nitrous or upgraded engine internals. Improper execution of any of the above could turn the engine inside out with little notice.

Danish driver Kevin Magnussen drove a superb race on the Aragon circuit, to win the first of two Formula Renault 3.5 races presented this weekend in Spain.

It was Magnussen's first win of the season.

The son of former F1 driver Jan Magnussen dominated the race, leaving the others scrambling for second place, which went to Will Stevens, thanks to late pass on Arthur Pic.

Championship leader Stoffel Vandoorne could only managed eighth, behind Sergey Sirotkin, Norman Nato, Nigel Melker and Christopher Zanella.


Race 1 results - Aragon, Spain (Formula Renault 3.5)
1 - Kevin Magnussen - Dams - 27 laps in 46'15"323
2 - Will Stevens - P1 by Strakka - 19"933
3 - Arthur Pic - AV Formula - 21"266
4 - Sergey Sirotkin - ISR - 23"601
5 - Norman Nato - Dams - 24"398
6 - Nigel Melker - Tech 1 - 26"094
7 - Christopher Zanella - ISR - 34"943
8 - Stoffel Vandoorne - Fortec - 35"419
9 - Marco Sorensen - Lotus - 36"065
10 - Mikhail Aleshin - Tech 1 - 37"973
11 - Oliver Webb - Fortec - 41"520
12 - Nikolay Martsenko - Pons - 42"016
13 - Antonio Felix Da Costa - Arden Caterham - 42"609
14 - Lucas Foresti - Comtec - 1'04"474
15 - Yann Cunha - AV Formula - 1'15"586
16 - Matias Laine - P1 Motorsport - 1'17"124
17 - Zoel Amberg - Pons - 1'18"185
18 - Jazeman Jaafar - Carlin - 1'23"597
19 - Marlon Stockinger - Lotus - 1'25"368
20 - Carlos Huertas - Carlin - 1'31"909
21 - Daniil Move - Comtec - 1'31"909
22 - Matheo Tuscher - Zeta - 1'45"147

Fastest lap: 1'42"011 (Kevin Magnussen)

Robert Kubica admitted he tried Mercedes' F1 simulator, multiple reports have confirmed.

It appeared last week that the popular driver, who is now in an advanced phase of his rehabilitation, travelled to Mercedes' base in Brackley to try the German marque's F1 simulator.

The news however was left unconfirmed by the involved parties until today, when Kubica himself confirmed the trip, without revealing any detail.

Whether to former grand prix winner, who has been active in WRC2 this season, is feeling better in the confines of a single-seater cockpit remains unknown.

Aside from rallying, the 28-year-old tested a Mercedes DTM car.

Kevin Harvick blasted from seventh to first on a two-lap dash to the checkered flag on Saturday night in Richmond.

It was his first points win of the year. He won the non-points Sprint Unlimited at Daytona in February.

"That was a heck of a first lap of the restart," the Richard Childress Racing driver said. "I thought that the outside line might have the advantage because it had a couple of guys with new tires in the second row, and lined up on the outside.

"But the two tires - these cars drive a lot off the left rear - and we only took two tires, and they didn't get that great of restart but my car launched, and I was able to drive it in the first corner and hope for the best down there. I figured four, eight, 12...how many ever tires that were on the outside of me would be better than none. It all worked out, and here we are."

Kevin Harvick, Richmond International Raceway (Photo: Kevin Harvick)

The race all-but-belonged to ex-Formula One driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, who was still looking for his first oval win in NASCAR until Brian Vickers smacked the wall with two laps to go bringing out the final caution which erased his lead.

All the Colombian native could do was laugh it off. "Yeah, we made the right calls when we pitted and when we stayed out and everything, but we got that caution at the end and it was a no-brainer to take tires," said Montoya.

"And I think what hurt us is we restarted on the outside and when you restart on the outside and people got really bad tires, everything packs up. And when you're on the outside, you can't; you know, where are you going to jump?"

Montoya had been holding off Kurt Busch who was having one of the best runs the one-car Furniture Row Racing has had. But Harvick got around Busch before the last caution on fresher tires.

''I was in an awesome run, waiting for the race to come to us. ... That green-white-checkered at the end, it's just chaos," Busch said. Busch bumped Tony Stewart and there was an after the-race exchange of words between the two former NASCAR champions.

Clint Bowyer was strong all night but used up his tires chasing pole sitter Matt Kenseth just before he got passed by Montoya. He finished second in a Toyota followed by the Ford of Joey Logano and Montoya who ended up fourth.

Bowyer was a little surprised at his late race comeback. "I think I was ninth on the final restart," Bowyer said. "There was a ton of chaos behind me, Tony got pissed and I ended up second. I would have liked to win but I'll take that."

Jimmie Johnson, who finished 12th , continues to lead by 43 points over Carl Edwards who finished sixth. Kasey Kahne, who crashed with Mark Martin, was running 21st at the checkers and is third in the standings three points behind Edwards.

Audi is eagerly waiting the 2013 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

The Ingolstadt firm won the weekend's second round of the VLN championship, considered by many as a dress rehearsal of the great 24-hour race.

Marcel Fässler and Frank Stippler were the drivers behind the wheel of the winning G-Drive Racing Audi R8 LMS. Fässler and Stippler mastered tricky weather conditions, which at the Nürburgring are no rare sight.

Markus Winkelhock, Audi R8 LMS (Photo: Audi)

Meanwhile, fellow Audi drivers Markus Winkelhock and Johannes Stuck were attending a press conference in Cologne, presenting the fleet of Audi cars entered in the race next month.

The 41st edition of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring is to be held May 19-20.

The Treasury Department froze some 2013 pay for top executives at General Motors and Ally Financial, two companies yet to repay money received under special bailout terms during the financial crisis.

Renault hopes to receive final approval from Beijing by the summer to build its first plant in China, CEO Carlos Ghosn said.

Volkswagen may cut temporary posts in response to Europe's weak market but won't close factories or reduce its permanent work force, CEO Martin Winterkorn said.

Within the past five years, GM moved the production of its trucks and Buick LaCrosse sedan in Oshawa, Ontario, to the United States.

UK car sales are rising while those in other major European markets are falling steeply but the bright spot is due to special circumstances and it may not last.

With the German auto market in free fall, at least one dealer is offering Groupon coupons to boost sales.

With the German auto market in free fall, at least one dealer is offering Groupon coupons to boost sales.

Toyota has now sold more than five million hybrid vehicles globally, including 77,000 in Canada, where over 80% of all hybrid sales in 2012 can be credited to Toyota.

These five million hybrids have collectively reduced CO2 emissions by about 34 million tons and helped save 12 million kilolitres of gasoline.

“Toyota's hybrid offerings have been extremely beneficial in reducing the environmental impact of cars in our society,” said Seiji Ichii, President and CEO, Toyota Canada, Inc. “The best part is that we are only at the early stages of this trend. As hybrids become even more entrenched and continue to improve, the positive effects on the environment will become even greater.”

Toyota and Lexus currently sell 19 hybrid models and one plug-in hybrid in 80 countries and regions around the world. In Canada, there are six Toyota hybrids and five from Lexus.

Photo: Toyota

Augusto Farfus and Martin Tomczyk will race both the DTM race in Brands Hatch, before heading to Germany for the Nürburgring 24 Hours on May 19th.

Both BMW drivers, who will take on the DTM championship this season, will run the free practice session, the qualifying and the race in Brands Hatch, second round of the DTM calendar, and will head to the Nürburgring immediatly after the race to take part to the famous 24 Hours race where they will drive a BMW Z4.

Martin Tomczyk leading Augusto Farfus. (Photo: BMW Motorpsort)

That will be possible as the Nürburgring 24 Hours will be presented on Sunday and Monday this year. Farfus and Tomczyk will miss the practice sessions and qualifying in Germany, but will be allowed to enter the race considering their VLN championship experience this season.

BMW Z4 GT3. (Photo: BMW Motorsport)

On Friday in Richmond, NASCAR's vice president of competition, Robin Pemberton, said that punishment for technical rules violations does not consider intent.

But Joe Gibbs the founder of the team with his name said that intent should matter when meting out punishment. Gibbs has appealed the severe penalties NASCAR has imposed after finding one connecting rod was only 2.7 grams underweight, but, not the finding.

When asked about the background for punishment Pemberton said “Not intent; we don't judge the performance.”

JGR used to build their engines, now they are obtained from Toyota Racing Development which in turn purchased the offending item from a third party. Would NASCAR penalize the third parties?

“At this time we will not and cannot penalize vendors,” said Pemberton.  We'd be in it all day long, whether it was a shock that went bad, a spring that collapsed that caused the car low or any of those things. You can concentrate right now on a certain area, because right now it's the height and awareness around an engine part.

“But when you go down that road, there are a million pieces on these cars, and so we choose to go down the path that it's the team's responsibility for quality control, and check on the parts and pieces that they bring and compete with at the racetrack.”

A little while later Gibbs, the triple Super Bowl winning coach, took the penalties personally.

For me personally, in my entire life and every decision or just about every decision I've made -- I felt like intent was very important,” Gibbs said.

“Whether it was somebody doing something in a situation where somebody has done something maybe against me, the first thing I wanted to know is what was their intent? Was it an accident? Was it a mistake or did they purposely try and do something. Intent to me is I think very important.

“In this case, I think that's important to me. This motor and what happened -- there was not an intent to circumvent the rules or to have an unfair competitive advantage. That was very important to me. I think, like I mentioned -- we really value our relationship with NASCAR.”

Most appeals go in favor of NASCAR, but there is a final appeal available to John Middlebrook, a former General Motors executive.

Last year Middlebrook reduced a penalty imposed against the No. 48 team of Jimmie Johnson for an unapproved “C” pillar, the piece which connects the rear of the roof with the body, at Daytona.

Has the "Multi-21" affair been resolved?

Mark Webber, who was betrayed by his triple world champion teammate Sebastian Vettel at the Malaysian Grand Prix, is now saying the two Red Bull Racing drivers are enjoying "great camaraderie", according to IANS news agency.

The controversy that followed Malaysia made every headline possible. The already ailing relationship between the two drivers was falling apart completely. Rumours of Webber leaving the team were flying around.

And now, the Australian insists the matter is behind them?

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel on the podium in Malaysia (Photo: WRi2)

"Now into its seventh season, my partnership with Red Bull racing is one of the longest between a driver and a team," the 36-year-old is quoted saying by IANS.

"Sebastian and I are a team and we share a great camaraderie."

Webber, who swerved dangerously towards Vettel after they crossed the finish ling in Malaysia, seems adamant: "We continue to respect each other and will continue to remain focused in wanting to make the team proud."

However, the same Webber wrote today on his Twitter account that some "rubbish quotes (were) floating around" lately, bringing everybody back to square one on his tensed relationship with Vettel.

Robert Kubica rolled out aboard his Citroën DS3 RRC in the ES11 of rallye Açores, fourth round of the European Rallye Championship.

The Pole, who led the race in the early stage, was running in sixth position when he went out in a corner and rolled. Kubica and his team mate Maciak Baran lost about fourth minutes in the incident, and had to stop again for several minutes to repair the damages on the car.

Robert Kubica dropped down to 8th position overall on Friday evening, as Jan Kopecky's Skoda Fabia S2000 was the leader of the rally, after ES12 was cancelled due to heavy fog.

Jan Kopecky, Skoda. (Photo: FIA ERC)

A difficult start to his F1 career has put Mexican Esteban Gutierrez in a difficult position at Sauber. But he needn't worry, team boss Monisha Kaltenborn is not ready to drop the axe on him.

The team did acknowledged its 2013 car, the Sauber-Ferrari C32, is lacking pace. But it doesn't hide the fact the former GP2 winner has failed to score in four races because his teammate Nico Hulkenberg has amassed five points in the same span of time.

Gutierrez's best result is a 12th position.

Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber-Ferrari C32 (Photo: WRi2)

"A lot has to do with the performance of the car," insists Kaltenborn, the first female team principal in F1, on Autosport.com. "We have no doubts about his mental capabilities to get on top of things and understand them."

Instead, Kaltenborn wants to focus on helping her struggling driver, for now at least. If Gutierrez doesn't improve, she might then be forced to take action in order to save the team some financial troubles.

"We need to try to focus on get that potential out because we know it's there," Kaltenborn promised. "But at the same time we know as a team we don't have many chances, and whatever you do in a season can have a straight impact on your finances for the future."

Less than two days after NASCAR stripped Matt Kenseth of his Kansas Speedway pole, he was back on top in Richmond.

"One of our goals this weekend was to come here this weekend and sit on the pole and try to quiet down some of the noise," Kenseth said. "I was pretty glad we were able to accomplish that. It's not been historically a good qualifying place for me -- it's probably one of my worst qualifying tracks on the circuit -- but I've been really champing at the bit to get to the track this weekend."

The double irony is that Kenseth is not known for winning poles. In 481 races this is only his ninth pole because he was stripped of that pole he won last week due to a technical, underweight connecting rod, issue.

On Thursday he said he was upset, but, focusing on the next race.

"I think almost every person that I've talked to has been very supportive," he said after his pole. "I just kind of left it behind me. I'm just going to let the appeals process work out and see what happens. Whatever it is it is. We'll have to deal with the consequences then and move on. For now, it's just business as usual.

"There's absolutely nothing we can do about anything that happened last week at this point so you just put that out of your head. It's only a distraction if you let it become one."

And Kenseth did it in style with his Toyota with a track-record run at 130.334 mph (20.716 seconds), Kenseth edging previous record holder Brian Vickers (130.303 mph), who was subbing for injured Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin, for the third straight week, by .005 seconds.

Jeff Gordon qualified third, followed by Kasey Kahne and Clint Bowyer as the top five drivers broke Vickers' 2004 track record of 129.983 mph (20.772 seconds).