Nissan Canada and JD Motorsport today announced the launch of the 2015 Nissan Micra Cup in Quebec, an exciting new racing series featuring exclusively Canada's most affordable vehicle.
The new Nissan Micra being track tested. (Photo: NIssan Canada)
"The Nissan Micra Cup offers competitors the one of-a-kind opportunity to push the limits and hit speeds they never thought they could behind the wheel of Canada's most attainable vehicle, the Nissan Micra," says Christian Meunier, president of Nissan Canada Inc.
"Nissan's heritage is intrinsically connected to motorsports and dates back to the 1930's. Therefore, we are proud to return to our roots in such a unique way, and in Canada! Through this collaboration with JD Motorsport Organization we have developed a highly accessible and extremely fun series for the Canadian motorsport enthusiast who has a dream to compete."
The inaugural season will take place over the course of five weekends starting in May 2015. The race vehicles will all use the Micra's stock 1.6L DOHC 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual transmission, complete with the following modifications:
NISMO S-Tune Suspension Kit;
FIA-approved racing seat;
5-point harness;
Fire extinguisher;
Modified exhaust;
High-performance brake pads;
Safety cage;
Driver protection net;
Front and rear towing hooks;
Stylized Fastwheels wheels with Pirelli low-profile, high-performance tires.
More than 25 Nissan Micras will compete on each race weekend which will include two hours of track time consisting of a 30-minute practice session, a 30-minute qualifying session, and two 30-minute races.
Each car competing in the Nissan Micra Cup will be prepared by the Motorsports in Action (MIA) team in St-Eustache. Everything in the interior of the vehicle will be removed: seats, floor, door panels, steering wheel, etc., to install the aforementioned features and transform it into the race version.
A race-ready Nissan Micra will be available by special order to JD Motorsports for the final price of $19,998.
Infiniti Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team has announced a new partnership agreement with EXNESS, one of the world's largest retail Foreign Exchange Brokers.
The association will formally begin on January 1st, 2015 and the logo of the new team partner will feature prominently on the cockpit surrounds of the RB11.
“We are very proud to become a Team Partner with Infiniti Red Bull Racing,” said Petr Valov, director of EXNESS.
“Red Bull and Formula One are two of the strongest and most exciting brands in the world, and our philosophy is very similar to that of Infiniti Red Bull Racing - we are both young teams and very ambitious, and we share the same values of freedom and drive.”
“We are delighted that EXNESS is joining our team next year,” added Infiniti Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner.
“Our approach as a team is to do things differently, with a strong commitment to quality and excellence. These are principles we share with EXNESS and we greatly look forward to our partnership during the upcoming season.”
This announcement by EXNESS follows a period of outstanding growth by the company and expansion across the globe. In September this year, EXNESS' trading volumes exceeded US$190 billion. Over the past two years, EXNESS has won awards for the best broker in Asia, Russia, the Middle East, and the UK.
This weekend brings the DTM's 30th anniversary season to a close with the home race of Mercedes-Benz in Hockenheim.
With one race to go, Canadian Robert Wickens lies 10th in the point standings with a total of 41 points, one less than his fellow countryman Bruno Spengler.
Wickens, the 25-year-old driver of the FREE MAN'S WORLD Mercedes AMG C-Coupé will complete his third DTM season in Hockenheim.
"It's been a difficult year for Mercedes, but the second half of the season has gone pretty well for me, having scored points in the last three races,” said Wickens.
“Hopefully, we can finish the season in the same way we've been doing in the last few rounds and continue to score points. We have a new car for Hockenheim and with a bit of luck, we can challenge for strong points and maybe a podium."
Robert Wickens, Mercedes AMG C-Coupé (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)
Sebastian Vettel will not be able to make his test debut for Ferrari in the days immediately after next month's Abu Dhabi grand prix finale.
Italy's Omnicorse claims that, even though the Maranello team is yet to officially confirm that the German will be wearing red in 2015, it wanted Vettel to drive the F14 T at the post-Abu Dhabi test.
It is at the Yas Marina circuit that Ferrari would have been able to directly compare Vettel in the same car raced just days earlier by the departing Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.
Also in Abu Dhabi, Pirelli will test its proposed 2015 tires for the first time.
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB10-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)
But when asked by Speed Week when Vettel will be released, Red Bull team owner Dietrich Mateschitz answered: "Five days after the last race, he is free."
That will be November 28 -- immediately after the end of the Abu Dhabi test.
Not only that, reigning quadruple world champion Vettel is already being frozen out by the team and energy drink company that groomed him from boyhood.
"In every way concerning development for next year, Vettel is no longer involved and is receiving no information," Dr Helmut Marko told Kleine Zeitung newspaper.
And the Austrian also told Bild newspaper: "That goes from cockpit design to the aerodynamic configurations of the car for next season."
Former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger says he is surprised world champion Sebastian Vettel is joining Ferrari.
The great Austrian told Germany's Sport Bild he thinks the long-time Red Bull driver's chances of repeating his recent successes at the beleaguered Italian team in the coming years is "50-50".
"The challenge Sebastian is taking on is one of the biggest you can have in formula one," said Berger.
"Even Fernando Alonso, one of the best in the business, has not become world champion there," added the 55-year-old, who had two stints at Ferrari in the 80s and 90s but is also close to Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz.
Gerhard Berger continued: "In my opinion, the situation at Ferrari at the moment is a little too turbulent. I simply would not have believed that Vettel would go there at this time."
Christian Horner and Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing. (Photo: WRi2)
Keiko Ihara participated in the 6 Hours of Fuji, Round 5 of FIA World Endurance Championship on October 12, where she finished in 3rd position and climbed the podium at the Fuji Speedway as the first woman driver in the World Championship race.
Ihara has raced in European Le Mans series (ELMS) and Asian Le Mans series (AsLMS) as well as the World Endurance Championship series (WEC) including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The No. 35 Morgan-Judd car run by the OAK Racing started the race from the 27th grid due to a mistake using a non-approved component.
The car crossed the line in third place in LMP2 class, and 9th overall.
Ihara commented about her dream to climb the podium of the World Championship race: “It is fantastic to be on podium in my home country! It's quite tough for a woman to drive a race car in one of the top categories. Thanks to great support by OAK Racing and supporters in Japan, however, I finally arrived here. I really appreciate to all for their help so far. I got 2 podium finishes in a row from the AsLMS race in August. So, I will try to get on the top of the podium at my next WEC race in Bahrain.”
Keiko Ihara standing on the podium in Fuji (Photo: John Rourke/AdrenalMedia.com)
McLaren is aiming to decide its 2015 driver lineup before the chequered flag waves in Abu Dhabi next month.
That is the claim of boss Eric Boullier, after the Woking team's lead driver Jenson Button revealed that as recently as the Suzuka race he was "annoyed" McLaren is leaving its decision so late.
"It is getting so close to the end of the season, it is actually getting funny (now)," the 2009 world champion added in Russia.
McLaren MP4-29-Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)
It is not only 34-year-old Button's future that remains unclear, but also that of his rookie teammate Kevin Magnussen, as McLaren obviously negotiates with Fernando Alonso.
"It's true that it's taken a bit more time, but it (the 2015 lineup) is still on course to be announced before the end of the season," Frenchman Boullier told reporters during a team phone-in on Tuesday.
He acknowledged Button's frustration but insists the Briton - easily the most experienced active driver in F1 - does not have to prove he deserves a race seat in the remaining three races of 2014.
"We know the value of Jenson," said Boullier. "He is a world champion, and a world champion class driver.
"We don't need him to deliver next time on track to, let's say, save his job."
Peugeot Sport has released the first official photos of its new 2008 DKR buggy that will contest the next edition of the Dakar rally raid.
Peugeot 2008 DKR (Photo: Peugeot Sport)
The press release mentions that the muscular, thoroughbred yet beastlike forms of the Peugeot 2008 DKR provide a vivid indication of the new car's serious desire for success.
It is behind the wheel of this purpose-designed machine that Carlos Sainz, Cyril Despres and most likely Stephane Peterhansel will defend the colours of Team Peugeot Total on next January's Dakar in South America.
The 2008 DKR shares an unmistakable family resemblance with Peugeot's road-going crossover, albeit with more muscular forms and more imposing overall proportions that have been honed to meet the challenge that lies ahead.
The 208 DKR may take part in one of two rally raids this fall to check all systems.
Various world premieres for the 2014 São Paulo Motor Show have been announced and ongoing updates are being made to the list. Media preview days are 28 & 29 October.
Various world premieres for the 2014 São Paulo Motor Show have been announced and ongoing updates are being made to the list. Media preview days are 28 & 29 October.
Various world premieres for the 2014 São Paulo Motor Show have been announced and ongoing updates are being made to the list. Media preview days were 28 & 29 October.
Various world premieres for the 2014 São Paulo Motor Show have been announced and ongoing updates are being made to the list. Media preview days were 28 & 29 October.
The National Automobile Dealers Association chose Colorado dealer Jeff Carlson as its next vice chairman, putting him in line to become chairman after Bill Fox of New York, who -- as expected -- will be NADA's 2015 chairman.
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