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From wec.com

Renowned Hollywood actor and skilled GTE Am entrant at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Patrick Dempsey, has revealed his intention to compete next season on the world stage of international sports prototype and GTE racing, the FIA WEC.

Patrick Dempsey plans to compete in a Dempsey Racing/Proton Porsche 911 RSR in the LMGTE Am class, and will be teamed with Porsche factory driver Patrick Long and a third, yet-to-be-announced, Silver-classified driver.

The working relationship with Christian Ried's Proton team was successfully established in 2013 and Dempsey and Long have already achieved a very creditable 4th and 5th in class together at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

From GMM

Simona de Silvestro has split with her manager.

After the 25-year-old female Swiss driver conducted several tests for Sauber this year, it emerged last month that her road to formula one had suddenly ended.

The former IndyCar driver's programme "will not continue for financial reasons", a spokesman for Sauber had said.

Speed Week now reports that de Silvestro has this week split with her manager Imran Safiulla, who according to Swiss reports earlier this year was also backing her financially.

"I will now consider the next steps in peace regarding the options for my racing career," Simona de Silvestro is quoted as saying.

Simona de Silvestro, Sauber. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Abu Dhabi's long-term place on the F1 calendar is secure.

The popular day-night race at the spectacular Yas Marina, scene of this weekend's 2014 championship showdown, already had a contract through 2016.

On Thursday, the local race promoters announced they have signed a multi-year extension.

"I said when the Yas Marina Circuit was opened that it may one day be matched, but it will never be bettered," said F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

Abu Dhabi has sold all 60,000 race-day tickets for Sunday's title-deciding race.

From GMM

Fernando Alonso endured an uncomfortable moment in Abu Dhabi on Thursday afternoon.

On the day his Ferrari departure was finally confirmed officially, the Spaniard had to appear in the FIA's press conference ahead of the 2014 finale.

To his right was Sebastian Vettel, the man who replaces him at Maranello. And on his left was Jenson Button, his potential teammate at McLaren-Honda next year.

However, neither his McLaren move nor Button's future are yet clear. So when asked by a journalist if he would like to have Button as his next teammate, Alonso wriggled in his seat and struggled to find an answer.

A joking Button then leaned in, intensely grinning and staring at the Spaniard and saying "Take your time" amid the laughs of the press corps.

More seriously, Alonso admitted that he decided to quit Ferrari a couple of months ago when he realised he was no longer in "love" with his role in red.

"I felt it was the time to find new projects and new motivation," he said, admitting he "didn't agree so much" with some of the decisions Ferrari was taking.

"We waited for this year, for the new car, the new turbo era and this year around summer time, September, I felt that it was time to move."

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14 T. (Photo: WRi2)

It is understood Alonso has definitely now signed for McLaren, but on Thursday he denied that when he made the decision to quit Ferrari in September, he already had an alternative lined up.

"I had that decision (to leave)," said Alonso. "I have to be happy, I have to be motivated, I need to love what I'm doing and in September I felt that it was not the case.

"After that I started to look at some possibilities and I trust what I will have."

Meanwhile, Alonso denied that McLaren's delay of the driver announcement until after December 1 is so he can assess the results of the British team's test with Honda power next week.

Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team and Fernando Alonso announce Thursday that, by common consent, they have ended their relationship.

The former two-time World Champion leaves the team at the end of this season, after a five year period which, with one race remaining, saw him score 1,186 points, 44 podiums and 11 wins.

Everyone at Scuderia Ferrari thanks Fernando for his great contribution on both a personal and professional level.

For that reason, Alonso revealed he will contest the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix “with the whole team with me in the car. Their work and their signature, thanks for so much!!” he said on his Twitter account.

Here are the photos of this farewell helmet he posted.

Photo: Fernando Alonso

Photo: Fernando Alonso

Photo: Fernando Alonso

From GMM

Marussia's eleventh-hour bid to return to action in Abu Dhabi has failed.

With Caterham already set up at Yas Marina, insiders on Wednesday then spotted F1 personnel wearing Marussia team shirts in the Abu Dhabi paddock.

It is believed they were Ferrari employees set to work on Marussia's customer engines.

But rumours then circulated in the media centre that Marussia, having missed the official freight deadline, was indeed making an eleventh-hour trip from the UK to contest the 2014 finale.

But team driver Max Chilton has now written on Twitter: "Devastated for everyone involved at Marussia in the past 24 hours that the hard work trying to get to Abu Dhabi didn't work out as we hoped."

The PA Sport news agency said Marussia's hopes had been buoyed by talks with a potential buyer, but quoted an insider as saying: "Sadly, it hasn't happened. By 5.30-6pm it was game over."

Max Chilton, Marussia MR03-Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Sergio Perez thinks one occupant of a McLaren this weekend will not return to formula one in 2015.

He is referring to the high-profile holdup at Woking, with Fernando Alonso believed to be already signed but McLaren undecided over whether to keep Jenson Button or Kevin Magnussen.

Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button, McLaren. (Photo: WRi2)

It is a familiar situation for Mexican Perez, who spent a season at McLaren last year before being ousted.

"They always told me I was going to stay!" he is quoted by the British broadcaster Sky in Abu Dhabi. "That was pretty late in the season so I was very lucky to find a seat -- and a good seat."

Perez is now at Sahara Force India, where he is experiencing his own delay in the announcement of his new deal for 2015, although most insiders expect him to stay.

It may be a different situation for Button or Magnussen, according to Sergio Perez.

"It must be a very difficult situation as a driver, coming into the last race and not knowing if you're going to be here next year or not," he said. "I think it's going to be very late for any of them. If they decide to take Button or Kevin, probably one of them won't be here next year."

From press release

Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has reached an agreement of three years duration with Sebastian Vettel, who will drive for the team as from the 2015 season.

The driver line-up next season will consist of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel.

“Scuderia Ferrari has decided to put its faith in the youngest multiple champion in the history of Formula 1” - commented Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, Marco Mattiacci. “In Formula 1 terms, Sebastian Vettel is a unique combination of youthfulness and experience and he brings with him that sense of team spirit which will prove invaluable when, together with Kimi, they tackle the challenges awaiting us, as we aim to be front runners again as soon as possible. With Sebastian, we all share a thirst for victory as well as enthusiasm, a strong work ethic and tenacity; key elements for all the Scuderia members to write together a new winning chapter in the history of Ferrari.”

“The next stage of my Formula 1 career will be spent with Scuderia Ferrari and for me that means the dream of a lifetime has come true” - said Sebastian Vettel. “When I was a kid, Michael Schumacher in the red car was my greatest idol and now it's an incredible honour to finally get the chance to drive a Ferrari. I already got a small taste of what the Ferrari spirit means, when I took my first win at Monza in 2008, with an engine from the Prancing Horse built in Maranello. The Scuderia has a great tradition in this sport and I am extremely motivated to help the team get back to the top. I will put my heart and soul into making it happen.”

Cadillac's new boss believes General Motors' luxury brand could eventually sell ultra-luxury cars that retail for a quarter-million dollars by 2029. Cadillac may also get more crossover models to supplement the SRX.

Chevrolet's off-road Colorado concept is its boldest effort yet to position the midsize pickup as a versatile truck for active, outdoorsy types. A production version of the Colorado ZR2 would give GM an answer to Ford's F-150 SVT Raptor.

Takata plans to shift production of BMW airbag inflators from Mexico to Germany, BMW said on Wednesday in a filing with federal safety regulators who have been probing questions about the quality of manufacturing at the plant.

Takata plans to shift production of BMW airbag inflators to Germany from Mexico, BMW said in a filing with U.S. federal safety regulators who have been probing questions about the quality of manufacturing at the plant.

Scion formally unveiled the long-awaited five-door iM Concept hatchback, marking the struggling brand's first new design in three years.

GM's Cadillac luxury line, working to revive its image, will begin reporting financial results about 2017 and double global sales by the end of the decade, said Johan de Nysschen, the brand's chief.

President Barack Obama nominated transportation expert Mark Rosekind to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has come under heavy criticism this year for a perceived slow response to major recalls and safety concerns.

Volkswagen is next in line to join the hydrogen party at the Los Angeles Auto Show with a concept version of its new Golf SportWagen compact powered by a fuel cell electric drivetrain.

Volkswagen joined the hydrogen party with a concept version of its new Golf SportWagen compact powered by a fuel cell electric drivetrain.

Lexus took another step toward overcoming its midlife crisis with the unveiling Wednesday of the LF-C2 convertible concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Lexus took another step toward overcoming its midlife crisis with the unveiling of the LF-C2 convertible concept. It's a 'powerful, emotional car' created to appeal to younger customers, said Jeff Bracken, Lexus Division general manager.

News 19 Nov, 2014

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